Mario: I don't wanna do the,
I don't wanna do the accent.
Oh, it, it,
Angela: canceled before we start.
Mario: Welcome to Casual fc,
an Angel City Match preview and
Footy Therapy Pod, featuring two
podcast certified footy therapists.
I'm your host, Mario Salazar
with my talented multi-network,
amazing co-host Angela Morales.
Angela: Hi everybody.
If
Mario: Every,
Angela: on the internet wearing
this same sweater, no you didn't.
Mario: every time I get a text that is
not necessarily related to casual fc.
So there's, there's three,
there's the, the Venn diagram
is three of our text, right?
It's casual FC stuff.
Casual FC slash angel city stuff.
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: general life stuff.
'cause yes, we're friends.
Angela: stuff.
Yeah.
Mario: Personal stuff.
and then there's like crazy
amazing things that Angela is
doing that I'm just like, what?
What?
not that you have to tell me or
check in with me or anything like
that, but that's fucking awesome.
yeah, you're doing that, you're
doing that, or you met this person
or you went to this networking thing.
So you know, we.
Angela: myself, but then I don't
regret it, so I do it again.
Mario: Oh, and then the, the, the part
of the Venn diagram of doing cool shit
and then just talking about life in
general, there is an overlap of her
overcommitting and then freaking out,
and then me being like, no, you're cool.
You do this.
You've, you've got this, this
is what you're going towards.
And
Angela: I
Mario: it always works out.
I'm telling you.
It's,
but,
Angela: I'm getting dragged.
Welcome
Mario: honestly, honestly, it's,
it's always amazing to see or hear
the stuff that she's just doing,
you know, behind the scenes.
with one that, like I said, she's
going to all these events, all these
network things, like she, all of a
sudden I get a text like, Hey, so
and so now knows about the podcast.
And I'm like, whoa,
when did you meet them?
And it's oh, I was just at an event.
Angela: yeah.
Mario: Or I'm shadowing someone at a
concert and like just kind of walking
around, like going backstage, hanging
out with the sta with the roadies
and the, the band and everything.
And I'm like, okay, that's just
the thing you do on a Thursday.
Angela: Sometimes
the, the benefit of saying
yes to things occasionally.
I,
Mario: yes.
Angela: when it first came
out, I read, what's her name?
Shonda Rhimes is like the year of, yes.
And this is when I was
working at Shake Shack.
I was opening like 8:00 AM I'd worked
till three or something like that,
like a long ass days in a restaurant.
And I just have AirPods in for like my
first two and a half hours of my shift.
'cause I'm just opening,
there's nobody there.
I'm just by myself.
And, sometimes.
really fun to just say
yes and see what happens.
And I
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: all.
I don't do it all the time.
I can't, like I have a regular job,
I have other things I've already
said yes to, but sometimes you
say yes and cool shit happens.
Mario: Exactly.
I mean, yes.
And I, I am probably more of an instigator
of telling her to say yes when she,
Angela: everyone I know.
Mario: yeah.
How do you think this podcast started?
So, and with that, this is our match
preview of our next match against
the Orlando Pride Friday, April 3rd.
We are playing away at
the inter and co stadium.
It's going to be at 5:00 PM Pacific time.
We're always gonna give
you our time because
Angela: Yes.
Mario: trying to do
timezone math in your head.
Yeah.
it's gonna be on Prime video
'cause it is the Friday match.
You can always listen to our
besties, Isaac and Tracy and just
announced today, which I was, I'm
always super are we gonna get the
information before we start recording?
There is a watch party,
official watch party by Angel
City at high tops, Los Fila.
check out the Instagram, check out
the, the socials on on their stuff.
We'll repost it again once this episode
goes out and everything like that.
But, they have their official watch
party with their street team and then,
you know, reach out to any of the sgs.
the sgs always have something going on.
Sometimes they partner
together to do a watch party.
and if they just don't have the resources
at the moment to do a watch party,
they will tell you where to go if you
need somewhere closer to where you are.
Right.
Angela: Yep.
Mario: to be able to watch it.
'cause not everybody can make it all the
way to Los on, you know, on a Friday.
Yeah.
Angela: I'm going home.
got a a 10 minute commute home where
I can get home before pre-game starts
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: or miss the whole
entire first half trip to
Felix on a Friday from South la
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: miles this fricking city.
Anyway.
Mario: Anyway, so that's, that's
what we're gonna be covering a
little bit later on this episode.
but we're top of the table guys.
We're at the top.
We are at the top.
We are clear, well not clear, it's tied
nine for the first, like one through four.
But we win on goal differential,
which, who's Angel City with a positive
goal, differential winning with that.
Right.
And a game in hand, which if you are
in the casual range of our listeners,
a game in hand just means all the
teams below us have played four games.
We have only played three,
yet we're still on top.
So, you know, that means we have
a potential three more points
in our back pocket to lift us up
even higher than where they are.
Right.
Wait, who are we?
Angela: I don't know.
And I don't care.
I love it.
I'm, you know, it's one of those,
there's been a lot of conversation
of well, they played this team and
they played that team, and like
maybe they don't really have it.
But here's the thing.
There were so many changes
this off season, so much
turnover, so many new coaches.
I don't know if we have a
status quo to go off of anymore.
And I
Mario: no,
Angela: dope.
Mostly because my team's in
first place and I don't care.
Mario: Exactly.
And look, think about this,
like Kansas City has been
going on a downhill, you know,
Angela: in trouble.
Mario: they're in trouble where
the last two years they were
like top of the leak, right?
And, but like we were saying is that
the, the, the beauty and the chaos
of the NWSL is the whole, you know,
any given Friday, Saturday, Sunday
match, like anything can happen.
And we've seen that already in
these first Three, four matches.
we, that's the exciting part, right?
Again, you go to some of the other leagues
around the world and you know who the
top two teams are, and then it's okay,
when they're gonna play anybody else,
you know the score, you know the outcome.
yes, there's going to be amazing
goals, amazing footwork, amazing,
everything from just those two teams.
The other teams have the skill.
They might have those amazing things.
They're gonna happen less
often and they're gonna be,
they're middle bottom table,
Angela: teams have a collective $14
Mario: yes, exactly.
It's you know, it's all the teams have,
you know, they're sharing a pool of money,
they're like GoFund their teams, and then
all of a sudden there's you know, the,
the $4 million, teams, or no, they're
actually, it's in the twenties, right?
Angela: something.
I have no idea.
Mario: The,
Angela: I can't.
My, it makes my brain mad,
Mario: it's funny money.
Angela: to it.
Yeah, it's monopoly, but, okay,
so really quick flashback to
weekend, I was in the press box.
I get up there and it's early, like
Eva can't even get into the stadium
at, I like an extra half an hour,
Mario: Mind you, mind you, Angela
completely forgot that she had that.
She applied for press passes for the game.
Angela: for press passes
for every game this season.
Forgot except for the home.
The fir like the home opener.
And so Thursday I get an email
and I'm like, what is this?
Oh, no.
oh God.
And I have to email them 'cause I'm
not going, I don't want us to have them
for two games unless you want them,
but we gotta talk about that later.
but I get up to where I am stationed
'cause they assign your seats
when you're in the press box.
Like you're either front
row, second row and whatever.
and they usually put out like a, whatever
the giveaway is or something like small,
info sheet or something like that.
And I walk up and I see my little name
thingy and there's like a handwritten note
and I was like, what the heck is this?
I have a little love note our buddy Isaac.
Isaac Lowen Grand who calls the,
who does a play by play on iHeart.
And it just says, dear Angela, I see
Mario has snubbed me again, sincerely
Isaac with the most beautiful signature
and this sad crying face with tears.
So sad.
I go over to to the iHeart booth to say
hi, but then also to be like Mario, sorry.
so I, he was like, so I
see Mario has snubbed me.
And I was like, well, we agreed
I would apply for press passes
'cause I have a little bit more of
a free schedule 'cause he has kids.
And he was like, okay, fine.
And I was like, but then on
top of that the kids are sick.
And he just threw his
hands up and was like, no.
And I'm like, yeah, sorry Isaac.
Mario: I, yeah, I, I think we
have at least one kid that's
roughly in the same age range.
Right?
Angela: I, yeah, at least one.
Mario: like roughly.
so yes, the kids were sick.
so I, ended up, you know, having to give
tickets or sell tickets or whatever,
you know, and ended, I don't even
remember what I ended up doing with them.
I just know people had my tickets and
they went to the game, which was great.
and.
So that, that was already kind of like
a, you know, they got sick on like
Wednesday and I was like, oh, they're,
yeah, this is gonna be a lingering thing.
It's not gonna work.
so I started reaching out to people.
and then, not only that, you know, for me
in my work, things change within 24 hours
Angela: Oh yeah.
Mario: and it's not, I try
to manage that as best I can.
I'm one of the project managers,
so I'm one of the ones that
Angela: your job.
Mario: my job, I'm not the one
changing those things in 24 hours.
I'm the one, you know, getting
client feedback and being like, oh
no, we gotta, and that happened.
And so not only were the kids sick and I
was at home, but I did not get out from
my desk till, I'm gonna say seven o'clock.
from my, from my desk.
I, I was working 'cause
I had to send out a file.
Like I had to, I took a call.
'cause like I, I, I went to the house.
We started trying to have dinner and then
I get a phone call and I took my laptop
into my kids' room to like, take the call.
So I'm taking this call with a
blurry background and it's full pink
in the background, or at least it
looks pink from, from the camera.
and I'm just like, okay.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I was talking to one of my coworkers.
We were just trying to get some files out.
it just became a whole thing on
Friday and I was just like, I,
you know, I was watching the game
kind of like in passing and yeah.
Back and forth.
But Friday ended up being a, a mess.
And while I'm sitting at my desk
where I am right now recording this
and I was working, I get the text
from Angela with the picture and I,
I literally just went oh no.
And I.
Angela: I could feel through
my phone, the distress.
I was like, something's going on.
And I'm like, in the press box, managing
the discord, posting on Blue Sky, you
know, typing speedy fingers everywhere.
And Mario was just like, are,
are you having a good time?
hello, are you okay?
And I'm like, are you okay?
Yeah, consensus was, no, but we won.
And is the first game where we
faced any real level of adversity.
And it was crazy.
We came out slow.
Houston got one off of a weird,
funky situation in the box,
we just looked off in the first half, but
Mario: the,
Angela: looked a little disjointed.
Mario: when I was able to start catching
up on the discord, it was very much,
what's going on with this first half W.
Where is everybody?
Who is this team?
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: What, why?
Why is the team from season
one through four here?
Angela: yeah, I thought
we were done with that.
But no, very, very excited to have
a fantastic halftime conversation.
I think everyone, I don't think
it was like one person who
was like, we gotta do this.
We got, I think everyone got in the
locker room and said, all right, regroup.
We're not doing this.
Alright, cool.
Mario: No,
Angela: it in, you know, take
a deep breath, lock it in,
let's get back out there.
We knock in two goals.
Within two minutes we had to spend this
banger from just outside the box and in
Mario: the top, top corner.
Angela: Yeah, the postgame presser.
She goes, yeah.
They're like, you know, what
did you, what were you thinking
about going into that goal?
And she was like, well, I got the ball
and then just kicked it with my left foot.
And it went in and it doesn't,
she said something like, kind of
like tongue in cheek about, like
sometimes that doesn't always happen.
Or my left foot is a
little funky sometimes.
So she goes, it was surprising,
but I was okay with it, you know,
it went where I wanted it to go.
and then after that we got a,
like a little knock in goal
off a rebound by Riley Tiernan.
Nobody knew who scored that goal for
Mario: No, no.
Mai, Mai was elated.
She thought it went in from her
and like she was celebrating.
Angela: it.
Mario: Yeah, and then
the replay kept showing.
And even in that replay, I
thought it was an own goal.
Angela: Mm-hmm.
Yeah, it looked like it could have
been, my, Mai Niehues that scored
an own goal off of Houston or
Riley Tiernan and knocking in it.
All of those are acceptable answers.
They still knock in the goal.
It ended up being Riley Tiernan.
Who?
A, so it was blocked.
It rebounded weird.
Riley got the ball at her feet
and just kicked it in because Jane
Campbell was on the other end of
the goal, and that's fine with me.
So we put up footy therapy and it was
basically like we're three and oh,
ah, with a little, confetti emoji.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: general consensus was
that was stressful, but hell yeah.
Three points.
Like this is who we were meant to be.
I think everybody's really kind
of getting on the, the same,
oh my God, this is real life.
Like it's, is real life
and it's happening to me.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: But the coolest, the coolest
response we got to footy therapy is
from Naomi, who's in Australia, huge.
Alanna Kennedy fan.
That's what asked how she found us
through Alanna Kennedy's Snapchat when
she reposted our Lonnie's long ball shirt.
she being Alanna Kennedy, she,
Naomi messaged us and was like,
do you guys ship to Australia?
And we were like, what?
This is also, mind
Mario: We will figure it out.
Angela: on.
This is when Mario is
like actively almost dead
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: I'm trying to manage this.
I don't have passwords, I
don't have access to anything
because why would I need it?
And we're getting just, I
don't know, we got 15 orders.
Like we got the big order from
Alanna, we got all these Australian
orders and we were, I was just
like, Mario, what do I do?
Mario: but also like,
Angela: it was wild.
Mario: So this was all during that period.
And what is she gonna do?
is Angela just gonna be like,
Hey, I, I, you might be dying
right now, but I need a password.
you know.
Angela: And I'm like messaging people
and I'm like, Hey, I don't have
access to my computer right now.
I'm like lying through my teeth
just trying to tell people like,
yes we do, but give me a minute.
It's also while Eva, like these
orders were happening while Eva and
I were on the way to the hospital
to pick up Jen to take her home.
That was that day.
Mario: Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: Naomi is like stuck around
and she sent a message after this
game, was like, I'm so glad I hung
around with this team, three fire
emojis and yes, girl, we did it.
We're here.
Thank you for sticking with us.
But the game was amazing.
BMO like, I was in the press box
in the first half, second half.
I went out to grab some pictures,
videos, things like that.
which I forgot.
Then immediately forgot to post
because we started scoring and I got
distracted and it was, it's so fun.
Having heard BMO up top, like when
you're up above the sound, it sounds
so different when you're in it.
So getting back in the stands, 'cause for
game one I was in, I was in the press box
so I didn't get to scream with everybody.
But this time I did.
it was amazing because
the lid blew off of BMO.
If there had been a cover, it
would've flown off onto the one 10.
Like first goal to equalize is
not a goal we would've scored
in seasons one through four.
Mario: No.
No.
Angela: to lock down the defense,
shut Houston down and knock another
one in to have a game winner.
Riley Tiernan also set the team
game winner record with four game
winners like throughout her career.
okay, cool.
I love this for us, but we're going
three and oh into this weekend.
It's really great.
Mario: What, what was the
Angela: the, the fifth eighth?
I think it's the eighth team to go through
three in the history of the league.
Mario: Nice,
Angela: So
Mario: let's keep it going.
Let's keep it going.
didn't we figure out on the Discord,
it was like, we have seven scores
so far over the three games.
Angela: Six scores through seven goals.
Mario: There we go.
Yeah.
Just again,
Angela: spend, it says two.
Mario: yeah.
Again, not having to rely on just
one quote unquote, superstar and, and
having the talent across the board, to
be able to score all of those things.
Like it,
Angela: so dope.
Mario: we knew this was in them.
We knew this was coming.
Angela: Mm-hmm.
Mario: We had to keep reminding everybody
to have a little bit of patience.
We had to remind ourselves to
have a little bit of patience.
Angela: Every game, every post game.
Since he started so midway through
last season, has said it is a process.
It is a process.
It is a process.
And it's so irritating at this point.
I'm like, I know, I get it.
But it's so nice to see some of
the things they're working on
in this process start to pay off
Mario: yeah.
Angela: because we're not used to it.
And it's really fun and
everybody is is this real life?
Yes.
And go fricking enjoy it, guys.
It's a, so fun.
It's so fun to be an
Angel City fan right now.
Mario: Oh yeah.
Angela: let's just live in
it because it's fleeting.
You
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: in general, it's cyclical,
all, the pendulum always swings back.
Mario: The way, the way we were
saying, the way we were saying
it was, it must be so fun and so
gratifying to be an Orlando fan.
was it, you know, last year,
was it last year, two years ago
Angela: two
Mario: when they were just on a tear?
and the Orlando fans that have been
there since day one have suffered through
it for the entirety of the league.
Right.
They, and yeah,
Angela: because,
Mario: you're five, but I, we get it.
Angela: I was talking to someone today
about what it's like to be a fan of
Los Angeles sports, and unless you
were born in like the fif like the
forties to really experience the,
records and all of the different World
series and national championships
and all the things like, we just win.
It's what, it's, what teams in LA
do with the exception of two of
them, but they're from San Diego
and they can go back to San Diego.
I'm just saying one of them is at
the end of my block and I hate it
It's, it's so fun when you have
to learn what it feels like to win
how, how gritty that is when you're
just like, no, we know we can do it.
We just have to get it done.
but yeah, it, man, it was so good.
Mario: So good.
yes.
So with that, like we said, we have
a game in hand because there were
a handful of Wednesday matches.
so there was, there was a lot of
footy to be had the entire week,
Angela: Mm-hmm.
Mario: so on Wednesday.
And don't ask me why we didn't play.
Like I don't, I, I didn't, I.
Angela: it.
Mario: I'm not questioning it.
I didn't look into why not, but whatever.
Wednesday we, there was a set of matches.
New York lost to Denver.
Angela: Denver, not their first win.
Mario: Yeah.
the Utah and, the spirit tied won one.
Orlando won three to
nothing against Chicago.
KC lost against the rain three
to zero, and then San Diego
beat Portland three to one.
Angela: Which makes sense
because the game before that, for
Portland, they had nine players.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: like these games and
the games from the weekend.
This my Chaos award.
I'm just gonna say it now.
It's these three game weeks
because they're not for the week.
Mario: No.
Angela: teams were struggling
this weekend, this and it.
It's curious how this is working
out, but I don't mind so far.
Mario: Nope.
No.
And then we get to the weekend.
We start, we kicked off the weekend
with that two to one win over, Houston.
The Houston Dash.
Then we had, Boston's first win.
Oh, no wait, no.
They did not win yet.
No, they're still
Angela: goal.
Mario: their fo Okay.
That's what it was.
Their, their first goal, but they
still have not had a win against, Utah.
So they lost two to one Denver's
opening that, and that deserves a
little bit of of time right now.
But Denver versus Washington.
Angela: people.
Do not forget these four.
I wanna know who they were.
Mario: Yeah.
Who were the last four that were counted?
Angela: Exactly.
that
Mario: they should get a
little like metal or something.
Angela: yeah, the last four
people through the gates.
No, it, oh man.
It was beautiful to see.
Mario: To see, to see the Denver Broncos
stadium so full for an NWSL match.
All, all three lower bowl upper,
and then that like top section in,
in the nosebleeds in the middle.
that was, I mean, it had a, it had
a good amount of people in there.
There was, I, I would say it
was more full than empty, right?
But
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: it, it, it, feathered
out towards the top.
But I mean, 60,000,
Angela: still walking around the
concourse and you know, like every
person's in their seat at every time,
Mario: no,
Angela: show the stands and it was a
listen as somebody who grew up playing
sports where you're begging people to come
to your games, that shit's fucking cool
Mario: the,
Angela: it
Mario: there.
Angela: as a group.
Mario: There was a little graphic
on the screen that popped up during
that match that said the past
record breaking games, and, and it's
been in, in recent memory, right?
In the last couple years.
Every, every game has, has
been a record breaking one.
So, but then it went like, it went like
27, which I think, San Diego still is,
is one of the record breaking ones.
So it went like 27,
30, 32, and then 60 63.
Angela: Yeah.
Boston had 30, there was 32
at one of, I think at Wrigley.
And then, the game at Oracle
Park in the bay was like 35
or 40, something like that.
And this was just like, Like this is
gonna be the record for very, very long
Mario: Oh yeah.
Angela: beautiful record to hold
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: was, it was amazing.
Foudy was there, Brandi
Chastain was there.
Aly Raisman, because she's part,
she's a, a minority owner for Denver.
Like people were there and just
everyone was so pumped and Go us.
I'm not gonna cry about it guys.
Mario: It was, it was an awesome
sight to see, to see that on tv.
And I, you know, I was messaging
the, the group, the, the,
the discord towards the end.
I was like, it's been a great game.
It's zero, zero match.
They have six 63,000.
for Denver's sake, I
hope they get something.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: I hope they were
so close a couple times.
I just wanted them to knock it in,
just for the sake of like how insane
that stadium would've blown up.
But
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: it was still a good match.
I believe it was.
I, I felt it was a good zero zero, a tie.
Angela: game for both teams, it was fine.
Mario: yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: survived it.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: seriously injured.
Yeah.
Mario: Yeah, so a amazing, and I
think, Denver's gonna be, doing,
doing great things with all of that.
I do know that there's a couple
of friends of ours that are still
salty that Denver got it over.
Angela: anyone from Cleveland is
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: friends,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: but
Mario: But that was, that was
a pretty amazing sight to see.
You can at least put your, your, your
saltiness away for that one match to
be like, damn, that was impressive.
And then restart the I hate you.
Angela: Exactly.
Oh, and then just as a one last note,
talked about Carson Pickett a lot on
this show over the last couple years.
I love Carson Pickett.
she was able to meet a little girl,
okay, maybe I'm gonna cry about
this, who has a limb differential?
And they like, took a picture
together and it was really cute
'cause the girl's like leaning in
and Carson's stick your arm out.
And they're both like their,
their limb differential arms.
And it just shit's cool.
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah, it's, it's awesome.
Angela: the first cry of this season.
It's not
Mario: 2, 2, 2.
That's your second.
Angela: Yeah, it's two.
Ugh.
Mario: But yes, this one's not even city.
It's
Angela: It's just for women's sports.
Mario: all right.
Angela: too.
TUM scores.
Mario: we had Portland beating
Kansas City two to nothing.
Seattle, sorry.
Yeah.
Seattle, Seattle Beating,
racing two to one.
We had boss, Boston Cheese.
I really need to stop looking
at just the letter we had Bay FC
beating North Carolina three to one.
San Diego, beating Chicago two to
zero, and then there was a draw at
the end with, Gotham and Orlando.
So.
Angela: you, that game was boring.
It was so, it was so anti climatic.
Mario: Yeah, I mean, again, we,
we've, we've mentioned this,
you know, previously, but this
is going to be a long season.
It is the longest.
Every, every time the new teams get
added, it's the longest season ever.
Right?
It's the new longest season.
Now we're at a point where
they're hitting what, 30 games?
Angela: Yeah.
Just a lot.
Mario: You, you gotta, you
gotta play the long haul, right?
European teams that play, or not just
European, but other leagues that play
just the straight balance schedule and
whoever sits on top is the winner, right?
Angela: why
Mario: Like when they, when those players
come, a lot of times, one, they get, they.
Flabbergasted by the, the distance of
travel, for, for all just to play like,
you know, Seattle playing Orlando.
that's a giant.
Angela: it's 4,000 miles.
Mario: Yeah.
but they also get, they also need to
switch their minds and, and mentality
on being the top team helps as you
move forward, but there is a playoff.
There is,
Angela: Yep.
Mario: there's a whole
nother leg after that.
And you could have been to, you
know, it doesn't happen very
often to get the double to win the
shield and, and the, the, the cup.
So you, it's hard.
And so it doesn't mean that if
you're top of the table and you're
the best of the best for the season.
That, you know that one elimination
game when it happens in the
playoffs and you're out, right?
that's what happens with our league.
So it's, it's a gruel.
It's a long, it's a long gruel.
Are we gonna stay on top?
I'm telling you right now, my gut is
telling me yes, but I mean, that's also
my Angel City podcasting fandom gut.
That's telling me.
Yes.
Is that true?
Angela: not to believe in that though.
Mario: We will see, but if you clip me
right now saying we're gonna be on top
of the end of the season, you know what?
Who's to tell you?
It's a lie right now.
It's not
Angela: Maybe it's a hot take,
maybe it's a overrated opinion.
I don't care.
I just wanna let me have
this collectively, let
Angel City have this moment.
Mario: exactly.
Angela: and with that
Mario: I.
Angela: let's talk about it.
Let's get into Orlando versus Angel
City On Friday at Enter and Co.
The pride had a little,
shaking up in the off season.
Emily Sams is now on our team.
very importantly,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: they had a few
other players move around.
They picked up people from other teams.
one of them being Haley Mace, who
is a defender who had played for
North Carolina in Kansas City.
she's one of those players.
And it was funny, I'm trying to
figure out notes and who to talk
about more this, and I was like.
Eva, why is Hailie Mace good?
And she was like, I
don't know, she just is.
And I was like, okay.
That's what I thought.
that's the vibe.
It's this intangible thing
you're like, I don't know what is
happening, but I'll, all I know
is I hear your name all the time.
Stats.
I looked it up, she's a defender.
And I was like, okay, well duh.
One that makes sense.
Two, so much of what
defenders do goes unnoticed or
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: untalked about, you know,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: it's not like it's discarded,
but it's treated so differently
Mario: It's not the flashy,
like attacking ball, you know?
Angela: line save or something like that.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: this like monumental.
call or something, you know, it's,
oh no, they broke up the play.
They were constantly doing
this, the whole game.
You know,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: the entirety of this game.
They usually play the majority
of the, of the season.
You know, they're not
subbed in and out as much.
So it, it's really interesting,
but it makes sense that she is
as good as we all know she is.
Because looking into her career, she was
part of UCLA's 2017 title winning team.
And the cool part was that she wasn't
really getting a lot of notice in
high school and her mom made her
a highlight reel, sent it to a
few different schools, and that's
where she got recruited to UCLA.
Mario: Nice.
Go mom.
Angela: Good job, mom.
You know, and like looking back, like my
mom would've done the same thing for me.
You know, she did, she helped me.
How do I write this email to this school?
How do I do this?
Like how do I Like how
do I talk to grownups?
And now that I am a grownup,
where are the grownups?
But no, Hailie Mace is one of
those disruptors truly where
she flies under the radar.
I mean, grin, she's gonna
be on every scouting report.
But for fans, she's not someone who, I
don't wanna say she doesn't stand out,
but she doesn't, she's just damn good.
Like she's not flashy.
She's not.
She just gets in there and grinds
and says, okay, let's rock and roll.
You know, she's Paige
Nielsen for Angel City fans.
You know that Paige is so
ridiculously good, but tell me why.
You know?
And it's 'cause she's always there and
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: and she's a gnat and it
pisses me off how good she is.
That's Hailie Mace
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: just like, why does
this keep happening to us?
Mario: Usually those players are
the, like the, you know, the Swiss
Army knives, the, the jack of all
trades, the, the they're just.
They're not, they may not be,
like you said, flashy or like
outstanding in one thing,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: but they are super
solid on everything and
Angela: phenomenal and
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: there.
Mario: Yeah.
And you kind of want that in the defender.
it just, it, it makes sense
defense, like you need a solid,
Angela: Mm-hmm.
Mario: more well-rounded
player a defense can be.
Like, they're just gonna the Yeah.
The better.
Like we've, over the years, if you've
been following the, the angel city and
everything like that, you've noticed that
in our back line we've been pretty solid.
But then there's been times where like
maybe the, our, our kind of wings
just go way too far up, you know,
and then they, they don't track back.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: I mean, the Thompsons are a whole.
World of they're, they're, they're
on one end of the field to the other,
and then you just don't know why,
how the hell they got back there.
But in, in other, in other moments,
it's just like you're yelling at
the TV to get back, to get back.
You're, you're yelling in the stands, run,
you know, you, you, you need that speed.
Then you need the wherewithal
of like, where's the ball?
Where's the person, the spatial
awareness of all of that.
And if you have all of that as a
defender, that just makes you amazing.
Does it make you flashy?
And again, like as a defender, like
you're really, you're gonna get the
highlight reel when you, when you
do that goal line save, you're gonna
get the highlight reel when you like,
when you were able to body someone.
But does that happen every single play?
No.
And does it happen every single game?
Not really.
But did you disrupt them the entire
game and make them mad and piss them
off and have Marta slam punch the
ground because she was so upset that
she can't get past, like that's the
type of player you want back there?
Angela: team so much that people
are lashing out at like the ball?
Yeah, it's, it's crazy.
But that's Hailie Mace, that's, she's
gonna be one of the people on the pride
that is working to stop our forwards.
We'll get into that in a minute.
But second player, I briefly talked about
her last season, towards the end of the
season when she had come to the, the team.
Jacquie Ovalle, number 13, she's a winger.
So she's a, she's an attacking forward.
She's insane.
She is on the Mexican national team.
She had been playing in
Mexico, her career's insane.
Just absolutely bonkers.
So she's known, like known
worldwide for her creativity,
for her footwork especially.
She's known a la as La Maga
(the magician), like the
. magician because of how good she is.
One of our listeners and now one of
my very close friends, Yesi, like she
is one of Yesi's favorite players.
She's met her, she's autographs like,
it's just one of those please, I love you.
Which I get it, you know,
you're, you're watching.
And she's only like 26, which
but, she's, she's so good.
And when I was looking at stats and
things like that, so in her career.
outside of the national team.
she's played for Tigres she has
133 goals in that timeframe.
And then she comes here, she already
has two goals with the pride.
So she has 135 like regular.
League goals.
Mario: So that's, that's insane.
I mean,
Angela: And that's over not even a
decade, so probably eight years if I'm
doing like math and things correctly.
And granted with Dees, like she
was winning championships, going
to playoffs, that kind of thing.
But that is so many goals.
Mario: even, even if you had 135 goals
and 135 games, that's still impressive.
and the fact that she hasn't
had 135 games, I doubt it.
Angela: it was like 280 something
Mario: Oh, okay.
Okay.
Angela: Yeah.
So
Mario: Still,
Angela: a substantial,
Mario: yeah.
Angela: so many.
It's so many goals.
And then with the national team,
so she played at the U 17 level.
She played at the U 20 level.
Now she's on the senior team.
Throughout the course of that,
she has another 27 goals.
So she's looking at 1 50,
Mario: So that wasn't, that
wasn't factored in the 1 3, 5.
Angela: No, no, that was
just for fatigue days.
That's why I was like, just this team.
And then she's got two with a pride,
so she's looking at like a hundred
and almost 170 goals right now.
It's, stupid, but it's so good.
And I think it's only fitting that
where her career is right now.
Last season she won FIFA's Marta Award.
It makes sense.
If you look up her highlights, it's
in, it's just banger after banger after
banger and crafty, crafty w Not these like
little bink, know, kind of boring stuff.
No, everything looks dope.
Everything is so skilled.
Her footwork in and out
of defense is, is crazy.
But
Mario: I wonder,
Angela: a problem.
Mario: yeah.
I wonder what her mom's highlight
reel of her will look like.
Angela: That'd be dope.
That'd be dope.
But yeah, I mean, paired
with Barbara Banda.
That it's a lot and it's a lot of ground
to cover, but our defense is strong.
We can lock it in.
Mario: Yeah.
What do, what do we need to look at?
Angela: starting.
But this is why, like we're, have
to play the long game right now.
30 games is the long season.
We're not gonna get Iron women,
we're not gonna get who play every
minute of every game because it's not
sustainable the longer the season gets.
So give it time.
We
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: she was just
like, hit, hit, I'm sick.
Like I don't feel good.
I'm tired, whatever.
yeah, we're okay.
We're,
Mario: yeah,
Angela: all right.
Mario: yeah.
Angela: it comes to Angel City, we
have to really, really, like we,
we didn't do so well in the first
half of the Houston game doing this.
We did a great job with Chicago and Bay
and the second half of the Houston game.
The more we control the ball,
the more we control the game, the
Mario: Yes.
Angela: stays settled and steady.
The, because we, most teams are
still finding their groove because
there was so much turnover because
we made so many moves last season.
So many of the players were like
integrated and practicing and playing
and getting the, the experience together
which is why I think this is happening.
We had six more months essentially of team
hangout time on the pitch, time learning
each other, time coaching included.
We had a little bit of a jumpstart on
this season and so while most teams are
still just oh shit, this is all so new.
Who are you?
You know,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: is this coach?
I've never seen you before
in my life kind of thing.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: already like
bought into the system.
We understand the system and
yes, changes will happen and
things like that and people will.
We'll find their spots and find their way,
but right now we're, we're doing okay.
And the more we control the game
and the tempo of the game and the
style of play, the more we succeed.
And that
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: imp apparent in the Houston game.
I,
Mario: there were something that was
frustrating with the Houston first
half was we had virtually no shots.
no shots on goal, no shots at all.
I don't know.
And I don't know if we, I haven't looked,
I went, haven't gone back and looked
at set, so I don't know if we ended
up with any shots by the end of it.
But, you know, night and day, and I
think all of the shots recorded were
basically in that first, like that
first half of the second half, right.
Angela: Mm-hmm.
Mario: It, everything flipped
and everybody got back into like
right mode and, and all of that.
I think we need to keep
that moving forward.
That is the strategy.
Like you, you know, the,
what's the Wayne Gretzky quote?
The, you, you make a hundred per you,
Angela: You
Mario: you miss a hundred percent
of the shots you don't take.
Yeah.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: exactly.
I mean, you, you're not taking the shots.
Of course there's a zero
on the, on the scoreboard.
Like we're not, you know, we're not gonna,
we're not really gonna win that way.
But when we start taking shots, when
we start making those chances, when we
start, getting their back line on their
back heels and like tripping them up and
things like that, we're an agile team.
Like the, the front and
the midfield are, are.
Right now in that second half and
the previous two games are like
butter, they're like, they're synced.
They're, they're cruising
That first half of the, of the
Houston match, they, they weren't,
they were think something was off.
Something was a little bit of that.
Angela: honestly, I'm glad because they
had to figure out what to do in real
time to one, not give up another goal.
figure out what the hell they were doing
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: our defense scramble and get
tied up and, and kind of freak out
a little bit and then settle back in
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: to finish the rest of the half.
And that's really, I think the second
key to this game going to be our defense.
You have so many players.
I mean, we have so many players who can
score, but so does, so does Orlando.
And they're fast.
They're fast like we are.
It's, it's a very,
very, very skilled team.
We have to be very
of what we're doing, what they're doing.
Scouting this week is gonna be insane,
at the same time, on the flip side to
our defense needing to be like super top
notch, we've got sharks in the water.
We've got so many people who can just
turn on the jets and run and, and
get a jump on people and be able to
shift the tempo the second the ball
is at their feet or is coming to 'em.
And I think we're not, we're
not sitting and waiting for
the ball as much as we used to.
We're, a thing in basketball and I,
similar in like any sport where passing is
involved, but you have to go to the pass.
You can't just wait for it to completely
come to you because if you do, you
just wait, like obviously somebody's
gonna be like, okay, cool bet.
And take it and go the other direction.
We have to meet the past, you know,
two steps in, three steps in so
that we can then take it and keep
going and move the ball forward.
And I think as long as we're
looking for each other and, and
everybody really settles into that.
Mindset of we, we complete
every pass, we move the ball up.
You know, it's just that incremental
shift of, of pushing the ball and
letting our wingers run and letting
like Sveindis, who I'm gonna talk about
this, this episode that girl's got
legs and she has jets and she needs to
run and we need to allow her to run.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: watching her Excel
right now is so fricking dope.
So, SveindÃs Jane Jónsdóttir,
she's our number 32.
Obviously she's a forward, to
give a little backstory for those
who haven't really looked into
her too much, she bounced around
a little bit before settling at
Wolfsburg for four and a half years.
And, She was loaned out to another
team with a little bit more experienced
before she settled there, but had a great
career there before coming to Angel City.
She's been on the Icelandic national
team at the senior level, so like
the, the, the big guns since 2020.
And she already has over 50 caps goal
scoring's her thing, let her run.
You know, it's one of those where
when you're good at something, do it.
So I'm excited to watch her
succeed because the last few games
I feel like she's, she went from
being this high potential player
showing us exactly who she is.
the rust was, was thrown away,
the adjustment period was over.
She's here and she's ready and she
understands how the league works
and said, okay, bet let's go.
Mario: We were saying,
Angela: just had people on their
heels trying to catch up with her.
Mario: yeah, we were
saying from last year that.
everything we've seen prior to her coming
to the NWSL and, the speed that we saw
on the pitch, even last year we're like,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: there's something special here.
There's something that's gonna, she
just, she needs, she needs to find
that thing that unlocks it, right.
That, that, and sometimes it's
just a matter of opening the flood
gates of getting that first goal.
And, and she did, she
got one goal last year.
I, I was just looking it out 'cause
I was like, I remember her, scoring
something and it, I, I think there was
just too many changes, too many things
that were kind of going on, you know,
the, the, towards the end of the season.
Angela: control to, to
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
But as we've said, everything
is 180 in, in this season.
Everybody's in line.
And that first goal, as you saw,
open the floodgates like she is.
She is moving more
confidently with the ball.
She is,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: taking bigger risks, longer
shots, and, and she's playing
Angela: in her head.
Mario: No, and she's playing,
Angela: free.
Mario: she's so far up too.
We're essentially playing
like with one up top.
Like she's just, we know that she's
fast enough to get behind the defense
in any part of the, of the pitch.
So like it's, it's amazing to see
her out there and have good knees.
Angela: Yeah.
It, it's, I have a feeling
it's gonna be a very fun game.
I think there will be multiple
goals scored, ideally for us.
I fully believe it's gonna
be a defensive chess match.
And it's crazy, especially because our
history with Orlando is a little lopsided.
won twice.
We had two draws and we've lost
four times, which is crazy.
And like one of those was, I think it was
two seasons ago where we started, like we
had a home match and then, or maybe it was
last season, I don't know, but, because
I remember there's a watch party at Rock
and Brew in El Segundo, and I was there
I, I remember this game being like,
oh no, because we went on the road
and played like Gotham, Kansas City
and Orlando right out the gate, and
it was Angelina's first starts and
she ended up getting pulled because
it was just like, goals, goals, goals.
Those
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: count those seasons.
Yeah, that was the season
Orlando one, the title.
But yeah, it was, it was bonkers.
So very curious to see where
Friday lands, I want us to win.
I could see a draw happening, but either
way, long as we play well, I'm okay
with it because we will drop games.
We, no team this year is gonna
have an undefeated season.
We'd be the only ones to do it at
this point, and that's terrifying.
But if it happens, I'm not upset.
But if it's, if we end up, if we're gonna
end up dropping games at some point,
but I think as long as there's still
active progress, we're gonna be fine.
But I'm super excited for Friday.
I will be in the Discord.
We will be rocking and rolling.
hope to see you.
Mario: Yeah.
So I mean with that, if
you've gone this far.
You know, if you haven't hit subscribed
yet, then what are you doing?
And, you know, we made
you laugh at some point.
So,
Angela: Mm-hmm.
Mario: or you learn something.
So hit, hit that subscribe, button
and, follow us, you know, wherever
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And if you don't know where to
follow us, 'cause for whatever
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There are social media links.
we're on YouTube.
So any one of the episodes
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just go straight to YouTube and
look for us, and, we're all there.
And then you can see our faces.
join us on the Discord
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It's free, it's fun.
You just gotta answer a couple questions
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Have fun with us.
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We have, you know, be as active.
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I know we keep saying there
is stuff in the pipeline.
I'm looking at you, Angela.
We have,
Angela: fault.
Mario: we have,
Angela: my fault right
Mario: we have three things that are
pending that we're just waiting for,
Angela: and I have not been
able to come up with any ideas.
Mario: but we have things coming
Angela: Mm-hmm.
Mario: there may also be, suspended.
A thing coming soon too.
So with all of that, check
out casual shop.casual.com.
Check it often if you want.
You know, it's all good.
doesn't cost me more that you
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And if you feel so inclined and
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It's an easy way to
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help us out.
there's also a subscription offer
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And any little help that we get just makes
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as always, tell a friend about the pod.
It's the best way to bring good luck.
It brings us good luck.
We package that up in a nice little
bow and we send it along to the team
and they do with it as they please.
And it's been working so far.
So everybody keep telling people
remember we are the nineties,
chain letter of, of podcasts now.
So just
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: someone, and tell three people
and then have them tell three people and
all of that stuff and just keep going.
And good luck for everyone.
Good luck for Angel City.
So with all of that, we'll see
you on the Discord hopefully.
And good luck for the team on
Friday and we'll see you at
towards the end of the month.
After that.
There will be some back passes episodes
before then to fill in the gap.
But with all that, see you later.
Bye.
Angela: days.