Casual FC

Ang: It doesn't mute.

And I'm like, what is that?

Oh wait, nevermind.

I found the mute button.

Hold on.

Okay, thanks.

Mario: mute.

Ang: Yay.

I love that for me.

Mario: Welcome to Casual FC, an
Angel City match Preview Pod and

Footy Therapy Pod, featuring two
podcast certified footy therapists.

I'm your host, Mario Salazar.

And why did I put my
initials as ma whatever

Ang: You were channeling M.A.

(Vignola).

Mario: with my troubleshooting
co-host, Angela Morales.

tonight has been a night.

It has,

Ang: It has been a night.

Mario: it has been a night.

Ang: Technology is not
working in our favor.

We are doing the best we can.

Like my day started.

With me closing my front door
on two of my fingers, so yep.

And that's after yesterday.

Going to put something in like the outside
trash can and the lid smashing my hand.

this hand hurts.

Mario: Yeah, and we've had so many
difficult technical difficulties just

trying to get on and record this thing.

Not even on.

It's,

Ang: It is for show.

Mario: It's for show.

Yeah.

I'm just gonna keep it in for show.

All right, so this is our match
preview episode for the match

against the Houston Dash on Saturday.

Four 12.

April 12th, it's going to
be at Shell Energy Stadium.

So our angels are flying
to muggy, Houston.

The game will be at 2:00 PM here in LA.

Broadcast schedule is
going to be on N WSL plus.

that's what they're calling it.

What the N WL Streaming platform

Ang: It's plus.

Hmm.

Mario: on Paramount Plus, apparently
everything streaming is Plus.

okay.

Ang: Plus.

Mario: Plus it's also
gonna be on iHeartRadio.

So listening to Isaac and Tracy, they
are two favorite people that if you can't

watch the game, you can't be at the game.

Just gotta listen to them and
it's gonna feel like you're there.

There is an official watch party
and it's going to be at Common

Space Brewery, which is in Hawthorne
at 3 4 1 1 El Sconda Boulevard.

And, the start time is going to
be at 1:00 PM This is the official

one hosted by Angel City, and
it is family and dog friendly.

Ang: Yeah, I will say common space
is an amazing space, but if you wanna

park, you gotta get your there early.

Like the parking is a rough sitch.

Mario: Okay.

Ang: fine if you're just going to
chill, but every time I've tried to go

to a watch party there, it's bonkers.

Mario: All right.

So there you

Ang: Absolutely bonkers.

Mario: Get there early.

Ang: Dude, they're so early.

Mario: we had.

we have, we've had an international break,

Ang: Hmm.

Mario: so our last episode
was kind of a half episode.

'cause we did, our recap
had no, preview to talk of.

Now we've got the preview to talk
of, but we have no recap, although

we do have some exciting stuff that
happened over this international break.

Ang: Yeah, so one, we dropped
our hundredth episode.

I cried for an hour.

Mario cried for 20 minutes,
like we were unwell.

I.

I screenshot a, a, a picture of me like,
you know, my sleeves are pulled up.

I'm like covering my face, just
like big weepy, weepy mess.

But thank you so much.

Just in general, thank you.

Mario: It was a

Ang: single person who's listened
to five minutes of an episode.

Mario, thank you so much.

Like we're not gonna cry tonight.

I just wanna say thank you.

Mario: It was, it was very special.

It was nice to hear from so many people.

It was,

it was just good times all around
and it, it just kind of makes us

want to keep going, keep doing

Ang: Yeah,

Mario: figuring out these stupid technical
difficulties and signing up for a free

trial somewhere else to record our

Ang: just to.

Mario: It, yeah, it's a

Ang: Tonight's a mess.

but yeah, so during this international
break we've had a a, a wild ride.

I also really quick, I've been meaning
to talk about launch break on the podcast

for Six months, and I keep forgetting.

So this watcher Launch Break is a
new network that started last year

that I'm an ambassador for, like
board of directors, ambassador for,

for female athletes, whether it's
college pro, semi-pro, whatever.

ask me about it.

I'll get you a link to get signed up.

It's just another way to network
with other women, other athletes,

and it's, honestly, it's so much fun.

It's building, there's networking
availabilities, job boards, just friends.

And everybody's really cool because
this is a room you wanna be in and

they want you there and it's awesome.

So if you have any questions, just DM us.

Let me know or DM me privately,
whatever you know how to find me.

But that's it.

so I can kind of now return
to like civilization because

Sunday was the women's final.

College basketball game Yukon won and a
shocking ass kicking of South Carolina.

But at the same time, there was
some divine intervention on Yukon's

side, I'm sure, with the Kobe of
it all, with the Gigi of it all.

Mario, if you don't know Gigi
Bryant would've been on Yukon.

Mario: Oh

Ang: Yeah, she was

Mario: Oh,

Ang: scouted for Yukon.

She was going, yeah, it's a whole thing.

And Paige's mom, Paige, Becker's mom.

Her hotel room number was 8 24.

So you know

Mario: the vibes were there.

Ang: the vibes were there.

The curse is broken.

Gino's curse is broken.

It's, it's okay.

So

Mario: Yeah,

Ang: yeah, I guess I have
to be a normal person again.

Women's college basketball
season is over, but.

In a month,

Mario: did you,

Ang: professional basketball starts.

Mario: Yeah.

did you see that, post, I think it was
from CBS where they showed that there

was near perfect bracket that there was.

Someone who, someone who

Ang: Wow.

Mario: wrong and it was like,

Ang: No,

Mario: and it was like one of
the, the first round matches.

Like they just had

Ang: like the playing games.

Whoa.

Mario: else was right.

Ang: Wow.

Mario: So just

Ang: That's insane.

I hope they, I hope they put money on it.

I hope it wasn't one of the free ones.

I hope somebody won a
lot of money for that.

but yeah, so now it's solely
soccer for a month for me, and

then it's back to basketball and
soccer for the rest of summer.

But I'm super excited.

I was at the national team
game at SoFi on Saturday.

It was an ama, it was like
the most beautiful spring day.

Like mid high, seventies
breezy, sunny, like la toity.

It was, it was perfect.

even I got there early.

There were, there was one meet and greet
with Tobin Heath that we were like,

eh, I mean, Tobin's legit, but that
line is gonna be 9 million people long.

And then we saw on Friday night that Ellie
Krieger was gonna be at another popup.

And he said, come meet
me, blah, blah, blah.

We were like, yo, Kres, let's go.

I wear my Becky Sour brand jersey.

Eva wears her Ally Krieger fan club shirt.

We're going over to the Centrum, like the
vitamins, the all-in-one vitamin company

that's been around for a million years.

Like my grandma took Centrum vitamins.

That's who makes Flintstones vitamins.

that's what's up.

So we're like, cool, let's go.

Kobe Jones ends up being there too.

So we were like, oh, okay.

Soccer stars of.

Years gone by, you know,
they're like, this is neat.

And then they're like, oh yeah,
this isn't a meet and greet.

And everybody's what?

The whole line is excuse me.

So it's like a whole big thing.

They're like, wait, why should,
did you guys think this is

gonna be a meet and greet?

And it says, when something says,
come meet me at this, guess what?

So it ends up being like a whole thing.

You can spin a prize wheel,
you can do a 360 camera.

You can like.

You know how they have
like the goals set up

Mario: yeah,

Ang: where you, they have that thing
over and you have to like, yeah, you have

to fix or try and score in the little
like circles they have that Craig's is

there, she's putting on a good time.

And like the Centrum, like the poor
employees, like that, that team was

so stressed because they're like,
why is everybody freaking out?

And everybody's we're here to see Krieger.

I don't give a shit about your vitamins.

It was one of those where they
were not prepared and Eva looks

at one of the women there.

She's if you guys are gonna do this,
you might as well just set up a table

for a meet and greet and get security.

And she was like, what?

Why?

Like, why, why are people so like excited?

And we're like, it's Ali Krieger.

You're at a women's soccer game.

Do you like what is happening?

Eva and our other friend
Alex, are in line.

I'm like taking pictures and
just being night, whatever.

I'm not gonna kick a soccer ball.

I'm not going to because I, I can't,
my body and my brain don't match up.

So Eva's in line with Alex, she
starts talking to Ally Krieger,

Alexie's here, let me teach you.

She's I'm a musician.

I don't play sports.

She's I'll give you a
soccer lesson right now.

Because as we have mentioned on this show
before, she has her coaching license.

I think she's class B, like she's not.

Like she can't coach pro, but I think
she can coach college like she's gotten

up there and she's, she's amazing.

She used to run soccer clinics like
in the off season, that kind of thing.

And I.

So they have a whole conversation
and she's I just wanna thank you

because you're the player that got
me hooked on the national team.

The national team is how I met my fiance.

And Allie turns around and
she goes, you're welcome.

And I was like, thank you.

And like we have a picture
of her turning around.

It's a live photo that our friend took.

That was like, you hear
her going, you're welcome.

And being all sassy about it.

And then Eva gave her podcast stickers
that had all of our, like I, we made

little like sandwich bags of all of the
stickers to give away to people that

like we wanted to give stickers to.

And so we gave some and she's yeah,
she's got a women's soccer podcast.

this is what they talk about.

And Allie turns around and
goes, so what am I gonna be on?

I was like, when do you want,
like literally tomorrow.

I don't care.

Mario: When

Ang: so that's.

Mario: technical difficulties.

Ang: exactly.

But she came over, took pictures with
us, gave us, she's honestly exactly who

you want her to be, who you think she is.

She's so sweet, so kind.

So giving with her time, like
full on, spent like five minutes

teaching Eva how to kick a soccer
ball in like chunky rubber shoes.

Like not tennis shoes of any kind,
and doing a fricking great job.

And then we got a DM from Alicia, who's
one of our listeners was like guys,

Allie Riley, who we had given stickers
and a scarf to at the Jersey Reveal

event, posted the Thompson Times sticker.

This one?

Mario: Oh, you didn't
give it to her there?

Ang: No, we gave it to
her at the kit Reveal.

Like she, she had this guy and
was like, yo, and what the hell?

So then people started DMing us.

How gonna get stickers?

They're gonna get sent out hopefully
this week, if not early next week.

or find us at somewhere I don't know.

This weekend was insane.

Mario: I totally thought you,
you like that was someone you,

you saw and gave stickers to that
day, like you saw Allie Riley.

Ang: No, I gave those to her in January

Mario: Thank you, Allie.

Ang: or February, whenever that event was.

That's when we gave it to her.

Yeah, so thanks Kap for
keeping those stickers.

That's cool.

So yeah, that, that's how Saturday
went and then the team won and we

hung out with, we got to see Ethan.

His wife, Doug, Alyssa, Josie,
and Alyssa's brother, who

we were good friends with.

Mario: Josie

Ang: rent.

Mario: to this one, right?

Ang: Yeah, doing trivia at the game.

So that was super cool.

I mean, we were planning to meet up
with the four of them anyway, but

like still, it's still fun to just
be like, oh, hey, there's my friends.

Alex, like I said, like we met up
with so many people that we knew,

Mario: that,

Ang: new friends.

Like it was just it.

I just love this community around soccer.

It's so fun.

We had a great time.

and.

Did I mention, I don't
think I mentioned this.

I, if you've been watching my Instagram
stories, you saw some intel and not

intel, but like behind the scenes
pictures, because I got a, through one

of the groups I'm a part of, I went
on a tour hosted by US Soccer of SoFi.

So like we were on the pitch, we
got to go in like the press box and

like all different kinds of stuff.

So it was, it was very, very fun.

I learned a lot, met a lot of cool people.

yeah, it, this last week has been
very soccer laden and it was very fun.

Mario: you had a fun week.

Yeah.

Ang: I did.

It was a very good time.

yeah.

that's, that's it.

I'm tired.

We just finished.

It's Tuesday night.

We just finished watching the national
team lose at the last minute, whatever.

they, they made a good point in
the post game of Emma's just I have

to play these players sometimes.

Like they, people gotta get reps,
people gotta get caps, It's fine.

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: No one's concerned.

I mean, Brazil played a hell of a game.

They scouted us really well between
Saturday and today, which is,

fun but not great when it comes
to how we also scout a team.

Yeah,

Mario: Well, Angela had an
epic international break.

We had some of our angel
city players out on

Ang: yeah.

Mario: Alyssa had some amazing,

Ang: god.

She's a grownup.

Mario: Giselle got in today,

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: the full game she, oh no,
she didn't play on, Saturday.

Mario: she didn't, she
didn't play on Saturday.

No.

But and then we have,
Kennedy, and Fair out.

and they played each other.

and then we also have, a bunch of
people that were on training camps.

So Fuller, was in the training
camp, so was and, Angelina, there's

Ang: Savvy

Mario: savvy was on.

so

Ang: and someone else.

Yeah.

Mario: even though we didn't
have NWL matches this week, we

still had some, chaos award.

And the Chaos Award goes to Alana Kennedy
coming back to us with a black eye.

Ang: Yep.

Why not?

Mario: Why

Ang: Might as well bring back a souvenir.

Mario: she, if you guys didn't see
it, there was this, kind of comparison

post, but I think by attacking third,

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: where it was like, in classic
Alana fashion, she's like checking

out her injury on the big screen

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: you see her like, she, she got hit.

I didn't, I, I didn't watch the med, so
I didn't see how she got hit or whatever.

But her whole like cheek is
there's a shiner, like it's

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: gonna bruise up.

and she's just kind of
looking up at the screen.

Like you see her, the camera's trained
on her and she's just like using

Ang: Yeah.

She's like looking at it

Mario: Like just trying to

Ang: and that's not the
first time that's happened.

It's like the second time
she, this exact scenario,

Mario: There was another one where she's
in the, more, the, the yellow kit for

Ang: the Australia.

Mario: and then she's doing the
same thing with a big old gash in

her nose and she's just let me,
let me, where, where's the camera?

Let me turn

Ang: Like, how bad is it?

Mario: Yeah.

And then both times you
see her go oh, oh, okay.

So

chaos ensues.

No matter what

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: to, long as these players
are on the page, there's gonna

be something that happens.

Ang: Yep.

Mario: yeah, we had that, quick
roundabout of the scores from

the last week in the NWSL.

Before we get into our match preview
is as I scroll down, all right, so

over that last week we had a two to
nothing win from Washington over bay.

We had a no nail tie with Houston
and Gotham, which we're going to

play Houston Next had a two one
win from Orlando to San Diego.

one over Utah.

Three to nothing.

and North Carolina tied nil nil.

Chicago again, lost.

They are not having a good season.

A good start of the season so far.

Ang: It is really sad, like genuinely,
and I don't know if it's because of

whatever's going on with Mel Swanson,
but I hope whatever it is, she's okay.

She commented on Alex Morgan's
post and it's the first sign

of life that we've seen.

So yeah.

Good vibes over to the
the Swanson household.

Mario: Yeah.

so they, they lost, to racing and
then we had our win over Seattle.

Now if you want to hear the
excitement and everything that

went on, we have our last episode.

We have a little kid screaming out.

Refuse suck.

It was all good.

It was all good times,
good vibes in the stadium.

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: li, go listen to that
real quick if you want the recap.

But the fun, great thing about
all of this is that we are one of

three teams that are undefeated.

Ang: Woo.

Mario: I think it's Orlando and Casey and

Ang: You know what the, yes, please.

Mario: I will take it.

Ang: Ba.

Last year, BFC did not have a draw.

Let's not have a loss.

Like I'm fine being undefeated.

Even if we just tied
the rest of the season,

Mario: You know?

You know what?

Orlando and

Ang: be okay.

Mario: have a very different undefeated
than we do, but you know what,

technically we're still undefeated and

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: is still correct.

Ang: Yep.

Exactly, exactly.

And I don't hate it.

And I, you know, we were also,
guests on the noodle time,

Mario: the dash dispatch.

Ang: dash Dish Dispatch.

That's hard to say, just before
this with watching the game, and I'm

just really excited for this match.

Mario: Yeah,

Ang: I'm very excited for this match
with the dash at Shell Energy Stadium.

On Saturday, because this is gonna
be a very interesting matchup.

It's basically like Angel City 2.0.

It's I feel like we're in this 2.0

era now.

Finally, like we're figuring some shit out

Mario: yeah.

Ang: versus.

A CFC light is what I was calling
it with them, because there's a lot

of Angel City players, front office
staff, there's a lot of folks from

Angel City like it, and it, it's not a
slight to either team, it's just whoa.

It's one of those where you're like,
oh, that's where all our players went.

Got it.

Or that's where this happened.

But they're also in a very big rebuilding
stage and it's gonna be really interesting

to see because you know, Houston is one,
one and one a win, a loss of draw, do

you remember that show Win Lose or Draw?

Do you remember that?

Pictionary, but not really.

Pictionary Light.

for those of you who were born after like
1987, sorry, you're not gonna get that.

'cause I think that show is
off there, but like 1995, but.

Houston is in a big rebuilding era.

They're, they're finding themselves again.

They have new front office
staff, they have new gm.

They're kind of like becoming their own
entity out from under the Houston Dynamo.

That's fun.

That's a fun name.

The Dynamo.

It's like a pew.

so they're in, I'm losing it.

Mario: Yeah, it is

Ang: it,

Mario: It

Ang: yeah.

Mario: so territory.

Ang: But they're, they're in this
era of we look great on paper.

Can we finally make that happen
on the pitch consistently?

Again, their their big key things.

We were talking to, like the guys
from, from the dispatch, like both

of our teams need consistency.

Mario: yeah,

Ang: They need lineup, consistency,
coaching, consistency, front

office consistency, just a,
any level of consistency.

We all need it collectively
as two different groups.

So I'm very curious because like
we have to come out very aggressive

on the ball, retaining possession.

Like we have to be very
offensively minded because.

We had so many people play internationally
this last week, and that's the cool

thing about international breaks is
that you find out who else on your team

is very good because those players who
were playing with their national teams,

like Alyssa just played 75 minutes.

I think she played a full 90 on Saturday.

Like she's not, she may, I mean,
she'll probably step in the second

half, but like you do need a break.

Mario: Yeah,

Ang: After that.

'cause it's, it's different.

It's two games in a short period of time.

Mario: And it's a, it's a Tuesday
match right now, and then we

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: match, so it's
there, it, it's short rest.

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: You.

I'd be, I, I would actually be surprised
if she starts and plays the full 90.

Yeah.

Ang: Yeah.

Same.

Mario: I would be

middle of the road surprise if she
starts, but then gets, you know,

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: and,

Ang: probably get.

second half minutes.

'cause we've got,

Mario: More,

Ang: we got folks we could play

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: folks named Kristen Press.

but Houston is hungry, like Houston is.

They're, they have a chip on their
shoulder, rightfully Like they, they're,

right now they're in a fifth five way
tie for fifth place, which puts them

in like ninth place, which is what?

but I mean, granted it's worth
three weeks into the season.

It's not that serious.

There.

I mean, when you've been bottom of
the table and you've had this weird,

rocky coaching history, you know
like is, who am I talking about?

Houston or Angel City?

You've been bottom of the table.

You've had interim coaches, full-time
coaches, interim coaches, a front

office that doesn't make sense.

A coach that goes MIA, physically or
mentally, like all this kind of stuff.

Like so much of what their team is going
through is what our team is going through,

and we're both at a stage of being
like, do we got it or do we not Got it.

And I think we've got it.

I don't know about Houston.

I haven't been able to catch their
games when I've been watching like.

Full soccer weekends.

So one of 'em, it's 'cause it got
delayed and it was on the same time

as another game and it ended up like
just being a scheduling conflict.

you know, it's one of those.

I'm curious, I'm curious about
how this game is gonna go.

We have to come out very sharp
and I think it's going to be a big

time for our young guns to step up.

Mario: Yes.

It's definitely going to be
time for young guns to step up.

It's definitely gonna be time for our.

I know we already talked about this,
not liking the second string, moniker,

but the, the, our, our backups, our

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: our depth pieces.

There we go.

Our depth pieces are gonna get
some more playing time, right?

And so we're going to maybe
rely on them a little bit

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: So I, I think it's
gonna be a really good matchup.

'cause I, after talking to the
guys, from Dash dispatch, you

know, getting that insight of look,
they don't necessarily, they had a

couple of players on international
duty, but they don't really have.

A lot of their starters

Ang: Yep.

Mario: on international duty.

We have a few of our starters and
a few of our depth pieces that

were out for international duty.

So where are we gonna start
filling these things in?

Ang: Right.

And we even had coaches called up like,

Mario: yeah, we

got the call up, which is great.

And it it like, you know, yes.

But.

It'll be interesting to see.

And I, I think it's
gonna be a fun matchup.

Ang: yeah,

Mario: it's gonna be a fun
matchup because I think we're

Ang: I.

Mario: in the same place.

We're both in the same, like you
were saying, the same mentality,

the same rebuilding, the

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: drive for hunger.

This, this, we, we want to prove
what we can actually do and

Ang: Right.

Mario: You know, we talked about the,
Angela Leys, like power moves that

happened like as soon as she left and
we're like, what the hell we needed those.

so like all those power moves that
happened over there and how they were

rebuilding it, and I think, I think
it's just gonna be a fun matchup.

I, I, I'm, I'm excited for it.

I really hope that my schedule.

It does not deter me from actually
watching this a two, 2:00 PM

game with some kids and we've got
like other kid activities that,

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: it, it's, that's hard.

Yeah.

Ang: Yeah, I think like I, I'm, I'm
curious to see who is in our lineup.

But I have theories.

I'm excited to talk about them.

for Houston though,
their whole team is good.

Like we talked about this
in the season preview.

You got Messiah Bright, you have
Paige Nielsen, you have Yasmine Ryan,

who she might be on limited minutes
because she was playing tonight.

You have, Deanna Ez who's coming back
off, an injury, but she didn't, you know,

she didn't travel with the Mexico team.

you just have really good players and
they were resting, which is scary,

but, and that's the hard thing with,
with rest, is that it's like you have,

you have these great players
and you put them, you rest yeah,

you're still training, you're
still working out, whatever.

But it's different than
it breaks the routine.

Mario: Yeah, our.

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: Yeah, the, the momentum,
it's a momentum breaker.

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: good.

It's it's like when you, when you
have, like, when you fall asleep like

really deeply and then you end up
sleeping for 10 hours and then when

you wake up you're like extra tired
because you slept too long or like you

have a headache because you slept too

Ang: Yes.

Mario: It's that type of thing.

It's yes, the sleep was good, but

Ang: But where am I?

Mario: yes.

So I, yeah, the, the question
will be one, who's gonna be

starting, and two, the momentum.

Has this affected our momentum?

'cause like we said,
once again, undefeated,

Ang: Yep.

Yeah, so it'll be very interesting.

Like

I just,

Mario: I'm,

Ang: I'm, I'm pulling up our
notes from the preseason.

Recap or pre recap,
whatever we were calling it.

Preview.

There's a word.

Thank you.

Future cast.

I don't know, like I'm looking
at like you have Kristen

Westfall, who's insanely good.

You have Danielle Cola Preco, who I will
talk about forever 'cause she's gonna

be on my fantasy team every season.

She's an insanely underrated defender.

We all know I have a thing for defense.

I just love it.

Mario: We

Ang: I love it so much.

Yes.

Like I just love defense.

I love it.

It's such a game changer.

It's such like a
powerhouse, and I love it.

But I mean, Ali Krieger's, one of my
favorite soccer players of all time.

Duh.

I love defense.

I have a Becky Sour Bru Kit.

Yes, I love defense.

is it, is it flashy?

No.

But when a centerback saves a
goal, guess what you remember?

You freaking remember you have, like I
said, Messiah, bright Ian who played,

I don't know if she played tonight.

I didn't even see.

I think she did.

I think she subbed in late,
but she played on Saturday.

We got to see her up close and personal,
how she didn't get, two yellows.

Mario: two

Ang: She got one, she almost got two.

It was, they got chippy on Saturday Like I
was ready for like hair pulling to start.

It was that kind of chippy,
oh my gosh, chill out guys.

This are friendly.

But you could definitely tell
there was some leftover, Olympic

Mario: tell

Ang: frustration from, from both teams.

But I'm, I'm looking at these
pickups in this roster and like

they, Houston is building something
great and it's not something that

should be discounted even though.

They were bottom of the table last
season because it's trending that if

you are at the bottom of the table,
within two years you won a championship.

So like Houston, Houston's different.

Houston is a very different team.

they're being like, it feels
like this team is being rebuilt

from literally the ground up.

Better community outreach, better
fan base, encouragement, you know,

There's a reason to fight for
this, and, and the FO knows it now,

Mario: yeah.

Yeah,

Ang: so I'm excited.

I mean, we could talk about Paige on
this podcast for a thousand years.

We probably will, because anytime we
play Houston, I'm gonna talk about

Paige because if we don't mark her, she
will score on us because I would too.

I.

If I got traded like that.

Mario: yeah, the

Ang: different rumors.

Yeah, like different everything
about how and why and when and who.

But like regardless, it was apparent she
was not mentally prepared to be traded

and whatever that is,
whatever those reasons were.

I still don't like 'em because
we're still short center backs.

but it is what it is.

I'm always happy to see her play.

She's a wonderful human.

So you know, it's one of those things
where we talk about with women's soccer

and women's sports, we follow players
a lot more than we follow teams.

And this is for me and for a lot of
the folks that listen to this podcast

and a lot of Angel City fans, like
one of my friends bought, well, she

listens to the podcast too, that's
how we're friends, but we're friends.

Friends also.

But she bought.

A Angel City kit with
the number seven 'cause.

Well, that's the number
that Paige wears in Dallas.

In Dallas, jeez.

In Houston with the rainbow kit.

And it says Paige's last name on it.

It was like, Ooh.

okay, fine.

I'm not gonna wear your kit, but
I'll wear this version of your kit.

You know?

And it's that kind of thing where it's
like no matter what, Paige's hours,

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: yeah.

Mario: I, I think this kind of goes
back to like my whole not buying,

like refusing to buy, player kits.

I love Paige.

Paige was amazing.

She was a rock.

She was,

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: I, I, I love following
her on social media.

Her, her sister is great.

And, the family is, is amazing.

please don't please take it easy on us.

you know, we, we love you.

It was just some weird shit with
the, with the front office, but,

but.

You ain't, you don't go here anymore.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, but you don't go here anymore.

like it was a shitty way
for you not to be here

Ang: Yeah,

Mario: but

Ang: like I do not condone what
happened, but now that we're here

and that you scored on us and
we lost that game, I don't know.

You like that?

Mario: Yeah.

Yeah.

like I always say, it's really
fun to be at a match, to have

the banter, to have the, fun.

like let's have, let's have
a beer before the game.

Let's have a beer reminisce
after the game win, lost draw.

Doesn't matter on whose side
it is, but whistle to whistle.

Ang: I don't know you.

Mario: the wrong kit,

Ang: Yep.

Mario: you know,

Ang: Yeah.

And granted, I will say I
feel exactly the same way.

I don't know her,

Mario: Yeah,

Ang: but like I respect
the shit out of her.

Mario: yeah, yeah.

Whistle to whistle.

I'm like, I'm like, exploitive,
expletive, expletive.

You know, and then I turn around and
I see that there's little kids around

me and I'm like, oh, I'm sorry, but

Ang: My bad.

Mario: my bad.

Ang: Teach your kids how language works.

Like

Mario: if you keep them away from the bad
words, they just want to use them more.

Ang: Yes, exactly.

But no, I, I think this magic is
gonna be very interesting because.

Houston for me is a big unknown right now.

I've seen clips, I've seen little
things, but I haven't seen enough

to be like, yeah, we're gonna win.

Or yeah, they're gonna, whatever.

I hope we win.

I would like us to stay undefeated.

If we have to draw to do that,
that's fine, but I would prefer

three points and maybe like win by
a couple goals so we bring back like

a more positive goal differential.

Mario: yeah, at least we're
not like hemorrhaging.

In like gold

Ang: Yes.

Mario: this year so far.

So

Ang: Yeah.

We're not, God bless the stars,
like they, that poor team right now.

Mario: we're trending in
a, in a good, positive way.

Ang: Yeah.

We're plus one.

Mario: that's all we can actually
ask for is just keep the trend going.

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: We'll write it out,
we'll write it, you know, we

just gotta get to the playoffs.

Ang: Exactly right now.

And just as a reminder, yeah,
just as a reminder, we are in

sole ownership of fourth Place.

That's the last team that has
sole ownership of anything.

But when it comes to Angel City, I,
I know we, we've talked about Alyssa

a lot, but damn, she different.

Mario: of these matches,

Ang: She is different this year.

Eva and I were talking
about it the other night.

She's back home with her family
in New Jersey, so I'm not sure if

she's gonna be able to watch the
game, but like at is different.

We've watched this girl grow up.

You watched a high
school senior become, I.

a World Cup caliber
player in five seconds.

I'm also, I'm getting teary eyed, but it's
because my allergy meds are wearing off.

I'm actually not crying for the
first time maybe in my life, but

like legit, I'm, I can't breathe.

Mario: Yeah.

No, but, but you're right.

We've seen, Alyssa go
from super hyped prospect,

super hyped, just family.

'cause I mean, we signed her
sister too, like before she got

Ang: And there are other little sisters
in, like the youth, she's in the

youth soccer programs for the country.

So

Mario: a third one.

Ang: yes, there's more.

Be afraid y'all.

I just, I just cracked open.

I just cracked open my Capri sun.

I hadn't done it yet.

Mario: but yeah, we, so we saw her
from this like amazing prospect.

Granted, the last couple
years haven't necessarily been

the best winning environment

Ang: Yeah,

Mario: kind of keep

Ang: they have not allowed her
to really flourish, but she,

Mario: you

Ang: ugh.

Mario: there.

Then we got, last year
was the year of the yips.

But as we said to counterbalance the,
whether it was the yips or whether it was

the, just kind of like refinement and, and
trying to fine tune what she was seemingly

lacking, you know, from her game.

She more than made up by
becoming an amazing assist.

Ang: she, she took a season that
wasn't necessarily going her way when

it came to scoring and finding those
opportunities, which we now know, the

whole team felt like everything was
forced, which makes complete sense.

It looking back.

Yeah.

Everything felt forced.

Mario: yeah.

Ang: We even said it a few times, but
she took a season that wasn't necessarily

going her way and said, okay, what
else can I, what can I do to help?

And leaned into that and
said, okay, I'm not scoring.

Can I help other people score?

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: I get myself in the right position?

Can I draw the defense to open
somebody up and find a little

slot to get them the ball?

That kind of thing.

So like that alone is resilience and I,
she is the face of resilience this season.

It's being talked about all over
the place after Saturday because it

was like, oh shit, that is an adult.

Like it's the kind of thing where you
saw this, this player, you know, she's

coming outta the gates this season.

Lighting it up, essentially like two
goals, an assist we joked about yeah,

absolutely go, you know, Kennedy Fuller
assist to Alyssa Gold and then switch off.

Let's just do that all season cake.

I love it.

give us more, do that.

But then she goes to the national
team, gets the call up, gets the

opportunity again, shows up and shows out

Mario: and

Ang: this is my spot, essentially.

And took it and watching her.

Sofa was insane because I was
like, our little girl has grown up.

One of my, one of my good friends
from college up in the Bay Area, she's

a Bay FC season ticket holder, but
like Angel City was her first team.

You know, like the way we talk about
folks where it's like Portland was my

first team, but now Angel City is my team.

I.

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: you know, we were her first team.

She's I'll always have, and she's a huge
Sid fan, so it's like very, very poignant.

But she texted me at when the game
first started, 'cause we scored in

the first 30 seconds to tonight.

But she's like, why am I screaming?

Let's go baby girl.

Come she's my child.

And I was like, because she is we
just watched this girl grow up in

a matter of hours it felt like.

But she is a completely different player.

The poise on the pitch is different.

She's just.

She's just solid, so there's
no doubt in her play.

There's no hesitation in making
a pass or shooting the ball.

That's it.

That's all.

Alyssa Thompson, everybody.

Again, I'm not crying.

I just can't breathe.

Mario: all right, well

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: list, you had Savvy.

Ang: Yeah, I did have Savvy because
she's just great and she had time.

Like I'm, I'm so curious to see how
she and Sarah worked in this week off.

Mario: well, she was
with the national team

Ang: dang.

She was, I forgot about that.

And we talked about it five
minutes ago, but even still,

Mario: so

Ang: I don't know how, like where
was that camp also, do we know?

Mario: It was at the, it was, it was with
the, with, it was with the national team.

Like it was with the senior team.

I think they were all
training in the same place.

Ang: Really?

Because she was with U 23, wasn't she?

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: wasn't.

Mario: I, but that was, I think that
was at, well, I mean, I don't know.

I don't know honestly, but I think
that was Emma's, strategy and goal was.

That's why they were all the
call ups for the U nineteens.

The U 20, U 20

Ang: Oh, interesting.

Mario: were because to have all of them
together to get all of the coaching

staffs looking at them all at once,
being able to kind of really assess

who's ready to make the move up and

Ang: I mean, that would be very smart.

But regardless, I'm curious to see how
the week off conversations, because still

the team's talking to each other, they're
not just oh, I don't know her for a week.

I'm curious how that

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: partnership.

Mario: we've mentioned the fact that savvy
and, Gordon are up to be our solid centers

there, in the back line, but they didn't,
haven't necessarily had a ton of Right.

They,

They, they said in like
you were there, they said

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: after the first game, hey,
we've only had half a scrimmage to

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: with each other and get to
know each other and get to know, and

get to know each other in like play
style 'cause and everything like that.

Right.

So having that.

Still being like, look, you, these
are the, the, the minutes on the

pitch are the minutes that you've
had really, be beyond like training.

But we've talked about training and

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: completely different.

and then now she went onto, national team
training, during this international break.

So there's another gap of

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: Sarah not being able to, to

Ang: But I'm also curious because they
might not have been working together,

but I wonder what that conversation was
with Savvy working with other people.

oh, what if we do this?

You know, there's always
that collaboration of okay,

I just learned something new.

How can we make this cool?

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: that's the best part.

So I'm hoping, fingers crossed that
we have a very cool week of training

and we come out in Houston and
we just have this stupid defense.

Granted, I, I always
want stupid defense, but.

Stupid positive, not
stupid derogatory defense.

but no, I, I'm just, I love
watching her play, and this is kind

of like a loosey goosey episode.

I didn't pull up all the stats
and everything, but we'll get

into that a little bit later on.

But this is just I'm
just excited for soccer.

Guys like it, it's very much
a shena episode in that sense.

But I am.

Mario: her focus is on soccer right now.

March is There's no more
basketball at the moment.

Ang: I know I have a month off.

You get me for, but I need
this like, recovery week.

no, I, I'm just so curious how
our team is gonna show up this

weekend because so many folks aren't
going to be starting necessarily.

Alyssa's not gonna start,
giselle's not gonna start.

which will be interesting 'cause
we'll most likely see Maria as

the other winger in the back.

Mario: Oh yeah, that's true.

Ang: A and or Hannah Johnson,

Mario: which

Ang: I'm okay either way.

That's, that's dope.

Alana Kennedy probably won't start,
which will be interesting 'cause I don't

know who would fill that spot either.

Ma Macy Hodge would be my first guess.

You know, Katie Ellum, Macy Hodge.

And then, I mean, I don't see a
reason not to start Chris and press.

Everyone's foaming at the mouth.

I think this is the best option.

Get us hot.

Get us started.

You know, like start, start hot.

Just crank the heat up and.

Mario: had that wonderful goal.

but it was the glimpse of
like, when you put her in,

Ang: remember?

Mario: so hopefully,

Ang: when, when Kristen Press eats,
we all eat that kind of thing.

let her fly, let her have this
goal, let her dance on the pitch.

Like it's just, there's certain
players that win, they score.

It's the most beautiful
thing you've ever seen.

A Kristen Preco.

Both makes you feel like you're on
top of the world and slightly hurts

your feelings because it's so good.

I don't honestly, like we, we talked
about it, I think season one where

she taught, she learned how to

Mario: learned how to

Ang: adjust her stride so that when she's
going to kick the ball, it's in stride.

It's in her running stride.

So you don't know when
she's actually gonna shoot.

She just does.

And not all players do that.

Some people have to make a very
specific movement or, you know,

Mario: like the stutter step to

Ang: yeah, get in the mode.

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: No, she's just in running stride.

Like one, two, like 1, 2, 3, triple D.

that's what it feels like.

I do love the Mighty Ducks,
but yeah, I, I really,

Mario: puck whenever she needs to

Ang: yes.

Yeah, it's one of those, she
has a bag of tricks that.

Nobody like ever doesn't like nobody
is upset when they get pulled out.

Nobody's upset

Mario: There's one more trick shot that
they had in that, in the Mighty Ducks.

What

Ang: as a Triple D, the knuckle puck.

And then,

Mario: I just get the

Ang: I dunno.

Mario: No.

Ang: Well, oh yeah, flying v.

Mario: yeah, yeah.

Ang: Yeah, flying bes a big time.

Now I wanna watch Mighty Ducks, but I'm
gonna go to bed after we finish recording.

but then,

yeah, I, I'm just curious how,
what our lineup is gonna be.

It's not, we're not gonna have the same
lineup as the first three games just

going, knowing that, because like I
said, yes, we need consistency, but you

don't run your players into the ground.

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: Especially now that we
have the full text of the new

CBA, you are not doing that.

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: It's illegal.

Mario: it'll be interesting also
because we've talked about this

idea of you change more than

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: your core players, then
the system starts to fall apart.

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: ha, will the system start
to fall apart or have they been

able to, adjust and plan and.

Plan for this ahead of
time to say Hey look, we

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: start working on these,
formations and lineups in anticipation

of not having certain players.

Ang: which would be the smart thing,
genuinely, and like this week who

like, I mean, they already are
gonna know their starting lineup, so

like they're gonna be practicing in
that formation to prepare for this.

I am just curious.

I'm very excited because I like it.

Everybody knows, I like
it when teams get weird.

I like it when they have to pull stuff
outta their back pocket, you know,

ace up their sleeve, that kind of
thing of what's gonna be the thing?

Like I really feel like this game is
going to be a game that like, it's one

of those prove yourself kind of games.

do we have it?

Do we got it?

Or is like Elijah DKU from Bring
It on in her hotel room, gonna lean

out and be like, you don't got it.

is that what this is gonna be?

Because I don't think it is.

I think this is gonna
be a really gritty game.

Both Houston and us are very gritty
teams, and I think it's gonna be like,

who digs deeper and who gets there faster?

'cause that's gonna be the team who wins.

That's it.

That, that's my stuff.

Mario: All right.

Our

Ang: oh.

But

Mario: the team

Ang: yes, our history with
the team is also very equally

matched, which is frustrating.

I like our, our record against
Seattle is very skewed and hey,

we evened it out a little bit.

We had had a lot of losses.

Because of the challenge cup stuff,
whatever, against Houston, we have

one win, one loss, and four draws.

So okay, we essentially are
even across the board with them.

Mario: Yeah.

goes to show how

Ang: one of those was heartbreaking, but.

Mario: even though we've, At
times probably had a better team.

They had, you know, they were struggling.

Uh uh, they've been struggling
a lot longer than we have,

but they've also, we've, we've
also not been immune to things.

Right.

So with all that being said, I mean,
look at the, the overall record and it's

we've been pretty evenly mashed over the

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: it's like not, yeah, it'll,
I think, I hope this is a fun.

up.

And like even if it's a draw, it
ends up being like a fun draw,

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: like

Ang: Not a slog.

Mario: slog type thing, although
it's gonna be freaking humid

Ang: Mm-hmm.

Mario: that good stuff though.

Ang: It's gonna be like 85, 90 degrees
at kickoff, like at 4:00 PM Ew.

That's why I don't go to Texas.

Like it, it was funny in one of the
Discord, the women's sports Discords

I'm in, somebody was like, yeah,
that's why I don't go to Texas.

just like kind of being like,
Ugh, Texas, because TCU Women's

basketball and Texas, the University
of Texas, we're playing each other.

And everybody's can both teams lose?

'cause I hate Texas.

And so one person's Hey,
sorry our government sucks.

It's no, no, no.

It's it.

It's the weather, it's the bugs.

It's it's nothing that has to
do with the reality of things

that are happening in Texas.

It's no, I just legitimately hate.

Texas and Yeah.

I don't, I don't like it there.

It's, it's sticky.

Mario: Yeah.

Yeah.

It muggy, muggy is the word.

It's

Ang: Yeah.

Mario: muggy no

Ang: like soup.

Mario: It's one of those things, like
when I've traveled to, like, when I've

flown down to like Central America,
you know, you go, you go to the, to

the tropics where our people are from,
and then you step out of that plane.

It's just a wall of

Ang: Yeah.

You are like.

Mario: You're swimming through the air and

Ang: My heritage is from
here, but my body is not.

Yeah.

Yep.

Mario: well, this has been
a recap for our matchup.

Again, it's going to be on Saturday
the 12th versus the Houston Dash down

in Houston, shell Energy Stadium.

It's gonna be a 2:00 PM kickoff for us.

4:00 PM in Houston.

It's gonna be on Paramount
Plus and the N WSL Plus app.

and if you can't.

Here.

If now if you can't watch them
and you can't be there, to them.

on iHeartRadio.

Listen to Isaac and Tracy.

It's gonna be great.

They make you feel like you're there.

And again, there is a, an official
watch party Angel City at Common

Space Brewery down in Hawthorne.

They start times at one for them.

As Angela said, go early if you to go.

'cause it's gonna, parking's
probably gonna be a pain in the ass.

Ang: They usually have food vendors
too, just regularly at common

space, but they may have more.

and then we will, we'll post any
others that we find out about.

Mario: Yeah.

it is, family and dog friendly.

you know, the, so it'll be
a really nice, time there.

I have seen a couple of, other
watch parties by sgs and we'll be

sharing those out, in, due time
with, for going up to the match.

So keep, keep an eye on our
socials and, you'll, you'll find

out other places to watch and,

yeah.

Ang: I saw the thought
fly outta your head.

Gone forever.

Mario: gone forever.

I what it was, I have
no clue right now what.

Ang: Alright everybody, if you like
what you hear and you want more of this

shenanigans, usually we're a little
bit more organized, but hey, whatever.

It's weird.

hit the subscribe button
wherever you're listening.

We always appreciate.

Listeners and engagement
and all the good stuff.

You can check out casual fc.com

for all of the podcast links, all of
the million places that we're streaming.

'cause Mario checks all the
boxes when he uploads this.

So we are on the internet, as we said
last episode, our hundredth episode.

The internet is forever.

I am crying on it forever.

I'm like, please don't meme me,
but also meme me like please.

but yeah.

Mario: a, if there, if there
happens to be time and there

happens to be a super cut of.

Angela crying.

That may be something down the road.

Ang: Oh God,

Mario: any promises

Ang: just, just sobs for an hour.

Oh geez.

And that's not even from
the hundredth episode.

Anyway, casual fc.com

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If you don't catch any other
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we're also on YouTube,
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I actually, I was like a super YouTube
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Angel City specific matches the
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We can send them to you, but stickers
aren't available on the shop.

However, there is a shirt
with the Thompson time.

power Rangers logo.

Good stuff on there.

So I'm just saying maybe
you should get that

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: and if you order it soon, it should
get here before the next home game.

'cause there it's really,
it's really quick.

Mario: It's

Ang: So

Mario: Yeah.

Ang: yeah, our shop has cool stuff.

And I love it 'cause Mario
is a fantastic designer.

Also, if you

Mario: You

Ang: feel like you want to shoot us a
couple bucks because you like what we do,

even when we're delusional and bonkers
like we are right now, you can go to.

The link in our bio to buy us a coffee or
you can go to buy me a coffee.com/casual

fc pod.

Drop us a few bucks.

If you, for some unknown reason,
want to make this a monthly

donation, you can do that too.

And just, it's whatever.

I don't, I mean, if you
want to, that's amazing.

If you don't, that's cool too.

Thank you for listening 'cause
that's what matters to me.

other than that, make sure you
tell a friend about the pod

shared on your social media.

Like I said, all of that engagement
means good luck for the team.

We pack it up, ship it,
send it to the team.

We'll ship it off to Houston when they
fly out and then they'll have good luck in

the locker room and then we're gonna win.

Duh.

So yeah, come hang out in the discord.

We'll see you real soon.

Thanks for listening everybody.

Mario: Thank you everyone.

Bye.