9/13 Angel City FC at North Carolina Courage
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: and footy therapy
pod host featuring, hosted, and featuring.
All right, we got this.
We got this.
We say this every single time we've
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Like once a week, every week.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: We've said
it a hundred and something times.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
That's insane.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Welcome to
Casual fc, an Angel City Match preview
and footy therapy pod featuring two
certified podcasts footy therapists.
I'm your host Mario Salazar with my
newly hair straightened, blown out.
She got the blowout tonight.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I wash my hair, guys.
That's it.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: I will
say two episodes in a row.
You got your hair down, like,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
know it's because I was like,
I'm gonna wash my hair today.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
And then I was like, oh, I,
I will be half an hour late.
I need to blow dry my hair
and do things to my skin.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: I mean, was I
sitting here watching sushi tiktoks?
Um, the time?
Yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
There's worse things.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: All right,
well everyone, this is our match
preview episode for our match
on Saturday, September the 13th
versus the North Carolina courage.
We're going to be at
First Horizon Stadium.
This is, we, we have at least one
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: This is
going to be our brunch match because
it's at nine 30 in the morning.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah, it's a 1230 kickoff back
east, so it's breakfast y'all.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
All right.
It's gonna be streaming
on CBS and Paramount Plus.
Um, it's also gonna be on
iHeartRadio, um, which is the
way I listen to the last game.
listen to Isaac and Tracy,
uh, iHeartRadio app.
Just download it.
There's a big old Angel City button there.
Just look for Angel City.
You'll see the logo and
basically that's it.
If you listen to it on off hours,
it's just a repeat of the last
game, so it's, it's amazing.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
It is great.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Um,
and again, like we were saying,
it's the brunch match, so.
Find yourself a place if you want to
go watch it, that opens up that early.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: and one of those
places will be watch me in Long Beach.
They, uh, will be open at, I
believe, eight 30 for a rugby.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Oh, nice.
Yeah.
'cause it's rugby worlds,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
So, uh, rugby will be on, on
the TV screens, they'll be open.
Um, and the match starts at nine 30.
So go out there, hit the mimosas, hit the
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I think.
Um,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: stuff.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Spirits also opens that early.
I'm getting 'em pulled up in the
background 'cause I know they have brunch.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Ooh, nice.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: find
yourself a brunch place that will
be streaming the game on CBS.
And if they're not streaming
the game, tell them, look,
it's on CBS stream the damn
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
right.
It's channel two guys.
It's not like it's hard.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Um, so with all of that,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Let's rock and roll.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: I
was going with that one.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Oh.
Um, during the second half, I'm
gonna be getting a new tattoo.
Very pumped.
So a couple months back, uh, in June
I donated money to a legal fund that,
or like a fundraiser for legal funds.
And the tattoo shop that was
organizing, it was giving away
four, $500 tattoo credits,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Hmm.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
and each ticket was only five bucks.
So I was like, $25.
We'll, see, I probably
won't win, but who cares?
The money, I know like the
money is helping people.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
And then I, like, two days later, or like
whenever it closed, it felt like two days.
It was probably like a week, but
they're like, Angela, you won.
I said, excuse me.
Excuse me.
What?
So I'm very excited.
I haven't seen the design yet.
I'm going in a little blind.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Ooh,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
But I, like,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: interesting.
I.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I gave her the ideas
and I said, I trust you.
I am the canvas with an idea.
You're the artist.
And she was like, I love you.
So very excited.
Just reminder tip your
tattooist very well.
'cause it just stabbed
you a bunch of times.
Whether you are getting a free tattoo
or paying for it, tip them well.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: and
it, it's, uh, permanent.
So tip them
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
Yeah because no re regrets.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
No regrets.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
No re regrets.
Alright you guys, just a reminder,
the next home match on September
18th is Hello Kitty night.
So there is a special
ticket pack you can buy.
If you're a season ticket holder, you
can buy the little add-on thing in M.A.
Jiggy in the uh, account manager.
So, and they're giving away a key chain.
Well, not giving away, you're
purchasing a key chain.
You can do that.
Don't say we didn't tell
you about it 'cause we did
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
do it.
Now if it's not already sold out
'cause it probably will sell out.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Telling you beforehand, now
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: like
the di the episode of the match,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
if you haven't gotten it
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
if you are a San Rio Stan and you are a
Hello Kitty fan, I love San Rio, but I'm
like a ROI bats, Maru side of things.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: So
we went little side story.
We went to the Lego store this
weekend because there was a, uh,
every month there's a free Lego
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yep.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: at the Lego store.
So we went to the free
Lego build this weekend,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
What was it?
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: um, it's,
it was the release weekend for
Harry Potter, like a whole new
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Harry
Potter set of everything.
Um, so they were doing
the butter beer cart,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Oh, cool.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: it was like a
little cart, uh, with some wheels on it
and like two little butter beers on there.
Um, it was really cute.
We got those.
Um, but while we were waiting in line,
because whenever it's one of the branded.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
builds the line gets
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Like
the Star Wars one was insane.
Um, to the point where they actually have
to hand out like little tickets to be
like, if you didn't get a ticket, sorry.
Like, we don't
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
We ran out.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: we ran out
and like, they'll, they'll run out of
the tickets before they even start,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: know?
Um, so me doing dad duty,
I'm like standing in line.
I'm holding, holding the kids'
backpack of like, you know, stuff.
And then kids and Jen go off
into the San Rio store and
spend a long ass time in there.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Okay.
Tell me what they got.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
everybody got stuff.
Everybody got stuff.
Um, I think ever got, uh,
he might've gotten a pencil.
Uh, Maddie got a little notebook,
um, and a couple of like bookmarks.
And then Jen ended up
getting a pencil and a
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Ugh.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: like,
uh, notepad, like just stationary
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Sanrio lead.
Pencils hit different.
Yeah, they hit different, and
you can't tell me otherwise.
One year, this is again a total tangent.
One year my mom told me I could get all
my school supplies from the San Rio store.
I could have cried.
I got pens, pencils,
notebooks, cool paper.
I then went into the paralysis
of like, I can't use this.
It's my favorite thing.
Didn't know what to do.
Finally, she was like,
are you gonna use this?
What did you buy this for
if you're not gonna use it?
And I was like, it's so pretty.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: it's
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
And she was,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: at,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
yeah, I just love it.
Look at this rainbow paper.
Look at this cloud.
And she's like, oh my God.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah,
mean, I mean, I, I like Hello
Kitty as much as the next person.
Um, I bought the Hello
Kitty from two years
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: a year ago.
that blanket stays in the car.
So it's the
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
It's a car blanket.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
it's a kids blanket.
Whenever we're out late or
anything like that, they have the
Hello Kitty blanket in the car.
Um.
Just not excited for the, for a key chain.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: cute.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
it's cute.
I, I call it key chains, but I'm
also now a little bit more, um,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Selective.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
selective.
That's a good word.
But yeah.
So don't say we didn't tell you.
We then went on a tangent.
Let us know in the dms in the Discord,
who's your favorite San Rio character?
Let's talk about it.
And then, so fun fact, after the last home
game, one of our listeners, Joe, in the
Discord, shared a fantastic picture that
Mario and I had not seen on the far side
of the, like far side from us, the stadium
in section 2 0 8, there's a banner.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: I had to pull up
a map and be like, what section is this?
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah, it's like 2 0 8, 2 0 9, like
one of like the corner directly across
from where Mario and I are essentially.
Um, there's a banner of the sunburn
supporter section, which is fucking great.
So thank you for being those people.
Thank you for suffering.
We appreciate you.
We love you.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Thank
you for making a banner.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
this is wonderful.
So if you are part of the Triple S
in that side of town, 'cause it feels
like a hundred light years away,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
hit us up, let us know 'cause that's dope.
You guys are so cool.
Um, but yeah, aside from that, I just
wanna make sure everybody knows, and
everyone saw Savvy King graduated
from cardiac physical therapy,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
which is also fucking great.
Like, it's just so good.
Like the Cedars cardiac team, who Mario
knows well, like good people like.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
I, I, I kind of half
thought that I was like,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I know.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: might, I might
one day run into Savvy, um, since
I have to go back and I have to not
necessarily do the cardiac stuff over
there, but like, um, also pulmonary
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: but.
Um, I still haven't made
my appointment yet, and
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
IYY.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
good for her though.
I'm so glad, so glad.
It's been a couple months
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
since the incident and mean,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
like Mother's Day.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
Um, and so it's so glad
that she's off of that.
Like the, the one thing, one thing I keep
telling people when they're checking in on
me and they're like, how are you feeling?
And, and I'm like, you
know, I'm feeling good.
The, the, and this is kind of
like Savvy's probably mindset too.
It's like will feel a hundred percent
when I am back doing what I was
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Right.
And for me, it's not like I was running
every single day, but like that was,
that was my own mental, like, oh, I
can take a break and I can go for a
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
and it wasn't a big deal.
now, I'm scared of shit to do that because
I'm like, I don't know what's gonna
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
You are like, I will go for a walk.
That's brisk.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah, I don't know
what's gonna happen if I push that hard.
And I'm like, I'd rather feel better
if there was a medical professional
that knew that I was about to
go on a run that was strenuous
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
possibly lead to something.
Um, but yeah, I'm so excited to, I
mean, the doctors there are great,
everybody, um, was behind her a hundred
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: were
behind her, like every time she
was shown on screen on the stadium.
And it's, that's just
another, it's another check
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: off on like
the road back and you know, I think
that kind of starts opening her up
to being able to keep her recovery
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: the team and the
team physicians and things like that.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
It's like, it just, it's the next
transition of like, okay, you're,
now, you're outta the hospital.
Now you're out of the, like,
constant checkups, you know?
It's like the, the every two
months became every four months,
and now it's every six months.
It's that kind of thing.
It's that gradual, uh,
tear tiered recovery.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I'm just so happy that it's, she's
progressing and she can be young again,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
We're not, we're not seeing her this year.
So
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
no,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
ever think that or that
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
God, no.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Um, but she's
essentially, she's been out of in season
shape for the last couple of months.
It's gonna take time not only to even like
one, it's gonna take time for her to even
recover more about like, just being on
her own and not being with the doctors.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Um, but
two, just getting up to speed
for like a kind of fitness level.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
just not gonna happen within
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
No, and nor should anybody,
I don't think, thankfully.
I think at this point everybody's
like, I don't think so.
Like, yeah, no shit.
But
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
good job guys.
We got here.
Um, so Chaos Award of the Week.
It is time.
This one was kind of weird.
There were two big upsets, both
deserved the Chaos Award, so
did the lightning delay in North
Carolina versus Utah this weekend.
So, I don't know if, you know, if
lightning strikes within eight miles
of a stadium, everything has to
stop for a minimum of half an hour.
And then if lightning strikes again.
Within an eight mile radius, or I
think it's within an eight, yeah,
eight mile radius of the stadium.
There's another half hour
added onto that, which good.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Good.
I mean, you
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Don't get struck by lightning.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: running
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Right.
No thanks.
Um, but yeah, it's, it was a lot
during the North Carolina game.
It was also pouring like just buckets
of rain and then the lightning delay.
And here's the thing.
I think there needs to be better, like
clock management when it comes to delays.
There was like four minutes
left in the first half when
the first delay was called.
So then once they came back, I think it
was like 45 minutes later because you
know all the warmups and everything,
they played for five minutes, halftime.
What was that for?
Just, just skip it and when you come
back out, you just play the second half.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
At that point, just call it a wash,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah, like the first half is
over a literal wash because
they're just soaked to the bone
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
in rain.
Even the referees were
like cracking up like toot.
It's over, like, you know, like
go in the locker rooms please
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: What
would your threshold be?
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
of what
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Like of
like if there's been a delay and
you're within a certain amount to
the end of the period of the half or
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I would say within five minutes
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: within five.
Okay.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
because like, sure, there's
probably stoppage time, but like
at that point, who gives a shit?
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
If there's lightning, just
call the first half over.
Obviously if we're like 10
minutes in, that's different.
But when there's ni, like you're at
the death of the half, let it die.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Take the players inside so they don't die.
Bring the people up to the concourse so
they're covered and they don't die, and
then let the time, let the clock die out.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
It is outdoor sport like that
should be built into the rules.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: there's
been one match at BMO where there
was, rain, and I remember it because
I, my brother and I were there.
Had no reason to look at the weather.
So did
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
about right.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: rain whatsoever.
it felt warm, so I believe I was
like in shorts and stuff, but like
our seats are towards the front
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yep.
Up.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: so the
rain came and it was just like, oh,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Oh,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: of the
late season ones 'cause uh, they
were playing, uh, Dodgers playoffs,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
oh yeah.
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: on the big screen
because it was, the delay was so long.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
But yeah, that, the delay was wild.
The game was fine.
Like it was a, a decent game,
but um, it was just wild.
And then while that's going
on, Chicago and Orlando had.
Not played or they were playing later.
They're playing later.
And then even I had left, I think like
we were going somewhere and then all
of a sudden I was like, Chicago's up.
She said, what?
And I said, I keep like in the discord,
we're in like three different discords.
Everybody's chirping about Chicago.
And I was like, what the heck?
And I was like, they're up three to one.
She was like, what?
I was like three to two.
And she was like, what?
Like it was just like, what the heck?
And then I was like, they won five to two.
It was just like they made up their
whole goal differential, it feels like.
'cause then Houston did against San Diego.
Which San Diego, I never want you to win.
But on Alex Morgan Jersey
retirement night, you blanked out.
Dang dang.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: I, I, I
think as soon as that game happened,
I posted up both, 'cause that
bumped us down in the standings,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: win.
And I was like,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Because they made up gold differential.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: that
was not on the bingo card.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
No.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: so yeah,
so I mean those two scores we have,
uh, Houston winning three nil.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
On Alex Morgan Jersey Retirement Night,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: roundabout scores.
Here we go.
Houston.
nil over San Diego and then in the
Chicago Orlando we just had five to two.
Um, and then we go two to
one Portland over Louisville,
uh, North Carolina and Utah.
Tide won one bay lost to Kansas City.
'cause of course Kansas City,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
and honestly, those two games, the
we, the weekend started with the North
Carolina game and the the BFC game.
I was pumped.
Cool.
We're we're okay standings wise?
We're good?
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Oh yeah.
Yeah.
I think, I think that the Portland
Louisville game was the game we
needed to go the way we needed it to
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: for us to
be like, Ooh, thank you very much.
Let
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yes.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Um, and that didn't happen.
Washington beat Seattle
two to zero and then we
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
happened.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: 3, 2, 1.
So let's quickly talk
about what happened there.
Our last match was.
In New Jersey Gotham fc,
we lost three to one.
We were riding high
again, I was at the Lego event.
I was at a bunch of other
stuff, uh, with the family, so
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I was streaming it
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: half,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
in the car on the way to the Sparks
Game, at the Sparks Game during the
Sparks game, and in the last five
minutes I said, screw this shit.
And I turned it off.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: I message Angela
'cause it's, it's right about the time.
And like we were, we were in a group
chat, we were like talking real quick and
I'm like, Hey, I'm not gonna watch it.
I'm gonna keep my eye on the
discord to for updates, but let
me know if anything happens.
And then, I was still in line
and then I look at my phone
again and it's like, we scored.
And I was just like, holy crap.
Did the game even start?
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah, barely
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
think, I thought that
was like, um, warmups.
'cause I had looked away like even,
and I were talking and my mom had,
so even our both streaming the game
in the car on our respective phones,
Eva's sitting in the back seat.
I'm in the front seat, my mom's driving
and my mom has the iHeartRadio stream.
But the thing was, Eva and I
were at the same time, mark.
And with the, the radio delay, she was
like 45 seconds to a minute behind us.
I see the goal and we're both
just like, I felt the whole
car, like I can't see anything.
And they're like, you know,
spend, this goes down this, like
they're building up, building up.
And I'm like, oh my God.
Like it's forever.
Finally gets there, we're
like, woo in the car.
And then we get to the game, I
see the subs and I'm like, dammit.
Because Rose and Midge came in
and that's when I just said,
okay, this is gonna be difficult.
And then Gabby Portio scored
dang Brazilians and then Rose.
And then we let Jalen how cook for about
20 minutes with the ball, it felt like.
And then she scored
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
Yeah.
I, I pulled in our script, and
I'll put it on the screen too.
Um, the momentum chart from FotMob.
It's a very lopsided one.
Um, this is not a possession chart.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
no.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: is a,
this is a momentum thing, which
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Vibes.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: I like to, I like
to imagine someone watching the game with
like a little slider going, uh, uh, oh.
Uh,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
Like, ha ha ha, ha ha.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: um, yeah,
it, so I got home in time to watch
the second half, or basically the
second half of the second half.
I was listening to the second half
as we got into the car, and then
one, two, I was just like, oh God.
Oh geez.
Um,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah, so
the bits that I saw, again, like
I said, a lot of this was on the
radio when I was listening to it.
The bits that I did see when.
I was watching the, the, the game.
We kind of, we kind of reverted
back a little bit to these
like disconnected passes,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: and it
almost felt like the, the pressure
that Gotham was putting on
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: too much
and all we could do, all anybody
reverted back to was clear the ball.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: And there
was some, there many of those ball
clearings, you can clearly see that
they were trying to do something.
There was
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: a player
somewhere in that vicinity.
It just kind of completely
missed the mark.
Um,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
Gotham was incredibly
disruptive to any momentum.
Like we would start to build
and then it was like, Nope.
And, or like intercepted or,
you know, passes deflected, and
it is deflected off of us outta
bounds and now it's Gotham ball.
Like, it, it felt very like,
rinse wa like wash, rinse.
Repeat of just, okay,
we're doing this again.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
Um, this was the match that we were saying
would've been our first three win streak.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
That did not happen.
So that record still hasn't been broken.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
And it's always against Gotham.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: They
have always been the disruptor
in our advancing in anything.
Um, they kicked us out of the summer
cup that we don't care about, but
we cared about for a little bit.
Um, they kicked us.
They, they've, they've beat us in times.
Um, did we also lose to
them in the playoffs?
Did we
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
No, we played Seattle.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: did we play okay?
either way, we haven't won against
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: so.
Uh, yeah, we, we went
through some feelings.
This one was very much a like,
look, let's just feel your feels.
This, that that was the prompt.
It was very much like, look,
we, we were riding on a high
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: there was
two games in a row that we were
like, things are working out.
Um, I know a lot of people
were reverting back to like,
oh, this was a, a hectic week.
The news about, um, Alyssa and all, I
totally get it, and that's totally valid.
And the, the win last week could have been
the kind of like, you know, sometimes you
get the new coach bounce when like you
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: in.
Um, it would've been like the bounce
of like, look, we're better than this.
And like,
so I don't doubt that that had some effect
to what happened, but I still think there
was just, uh, Gotham just had our number.
Um,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Gotham is really good.
Like they're an upper echelon team in the
league, and they have been since they won.
The championship a couple seasons ago.
They like, yeah, they had a
tumultuous start to the season.
They all set a shit ton of injuries and
now all those players are healthy again.
Rose Midge especially like, uh,
and the Discord people are like,
I, I have no idea what happened.
I was like, rose effing
la is what happened.
Do not forget who that super
pale girl really is at heart.
She's one of the best midfielders in
the world and there's reason for that.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
There's a reason why when she comes
in or she starts a national team game,
your heart skips a little bit 'cause
it's like, ah, like she's on our team,
we don't have to worry about her.
It's fine.
But like Rose is that girl.
Um, but when we put it up in the discord
and we put it up on Instagram, like feel
the feels, what's going on, everyone,
the consensus generally was that we
got out coached and outplayed in the
second half, which I don't disagree.
I think the, our.
We had a decent amount of subs, but
not in the positions we needed them in.
And then someone mentioned, I think it
was Joel in the Discord, said in the post
game, presser Strauss said that Giselle
went out at halftime due to illness.
So that throws everything off as well,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
making a sub where you don't
expect to make it messes things up.
Um, so who knows?
But this Vero said the loss
meant a lot in the standings.
Part of the part of that, honestly,
is everything going on this
week, it's hard to lose a player.
And we've lost four players in two weeks.
Something like that.
Three weeks.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Like there's a lot of shit that's
going down and that's really difficult
to kind of manage mentally and just
stay locked in because no matter how
hard you try, those are your friends.
Like those are people,
those are your coworkers.
And everybody knows how much it sucks
when like your favorite coworker leaves.
And if they leave before you, Ugh.
Yeah.
But I think the next two games, I and
Cassandra brought this up as well.
The next two games are gonna
be like, that's what's gonna
be, what sets the tone?
Are we bouncing back or
are we sliding further?
And what does that mean?
Because a two game streak
in soccer is a lot.
It's not like baseball where you're
playing a series of four games with a
team and you drop two, like whatever.
But two games is a lot.
It's two weeks worth of two.
So
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: And
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I think,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: we're,
we're down to seven games
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
yeah, like it's a big deal.
But I, I think overall, like
our depth was a little wonky.
Um.
We got outplayed in the second half, but
when you put, you start younger or people
who don't get as many minutes in the
first half and then you sub in Rose Lavell
fine.
Like, I guess.
But unfortunately it did look like
a little vintage Angel City and
I, I just hope your girls hope
and we don't fall back into that.
I don't think we will, but we'll see.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: another
part of a lot of these comments
that were coming in, we're just
kind of talking about our right?
I
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: four players
leaving, a couple players still injured.
Uh, I think, uh, E Eddie
was, is off the list now.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
We didn't have anybody floating around.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah, but,
um, either way we're still in a
very kind of thin backup world.
Um, so a lot of that, a lot
of the comments kind of came
in with, with that in mind.
Um, and I think we'll just wrap this up
with our, uh, resident haiku, expert.
He said Hard, hard, hard to haiku with
the fields on this one, but here we go.
What a start to a game.
The worst thing in sports is hope.
We'd looked like tired bats.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
And then he went to say, I
forgot that Gotham was bats.
It's like, thanks Ethan.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Uh, yeah, so
it's about that time of where
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
The primo's in town,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
permutation, prima territory.
Um, we dropped down to 10th place
again because Houston beating San
Diego and making up a, making up their
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
entire goal differential.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: uh,
goal differential was not on
our card, so they jumped us.
Um, they have moved into ninth place.
We're in 10th.
We did have the opportunity to go to
seventh with just the, the win, and, and
it makes it sound like it's like easy, but
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I know.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: it,
it was, I'm saying just a win
because, uh, the other things that
needed to happen fell in place.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
with that being said.
Primos calculations here.
The results that we can get this
weekend, we can stay in 10th place
with a draw if the dash win or
draw, um, we can also stay in 10th.
I don't really wanna think about it this
way, but we can also still stay in 10th
place with a loss if the dash lose by at
least four, which I mean, we're starting
to, we're, we're grasping at straws
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Uh, we can
move back into ninth place with a win.
Um, a draw by in the racing and
rain, uh, match, um, or a racing win.
And then, uh, an ACFC draw with
a dash loss and a draw in that
racing, uh, rain match or racing win
will move us into the ninth place.
Um, with, uh.
The racing, that's really hard to say.
Racing
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Racing rain.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: the
racing reign draw result keeps
us in, uh, within two points.
So this, this is, this is where
we start doing funny math about
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
This is where you lose me.
Halfway through,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: If they, so,
so there's, there's a world where like
maybe a draw in keeping us in ninth
place is a good thing 'cause we keep
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
we like, yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
Um, right.
And if with a draw in the racing
grain match, it keeps us within two
points of seventh and eighth place.
Um, with a win, it keeps us within
a point of only eighth place.
And then, you know, it, we have to
win like two more to get to seven.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Right.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: um, we
moved to eighth place with a
win a dash to draw or a loss.
And racing has to
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I want that.
That's where, that's it.
That's all I want.
I don't wanna know what happens if
we lose 'cause we're not going to.
Um, I want that.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: our, so our,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
please.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: our Powerball
combo that we need this week
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: going to be a
or loss the dash and racing to lose,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yes.
That's what we want.
Along with the Angel City win.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yes.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: move us up
into eighth place and kind of get us
into that, uh, sweet spot of barely
making it into the playoffs with,
uh, six more games left after that.
Um, but that just puts us in
a position to keep climbing.
Um, so that's what we're looking for.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yay.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: All
right, so let's talk about
how we're gonna get this win.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Oh my God.
Okay, so I was putting my microphone
down thinking like, I'll be fine.
No, I need something to hold onto.
'cause you gotta hold onto your guts guys.
This is a big deal.
So last night, night before last,
shit, I don't even remember.
I think it was last night.
I'm sitting on the couch.
Even I were having like a very,
very serious conversation and
like, we are taking a break.
'cause it was like a hard
conversation to have.
And I look at my phone
and I went, oh my God.
And she went, what?
And I was like, Jayden,
Shaw's going to Gotham.
She said what?
Like, granted, this is like a big
life conversation we're having and
all of a sudden I was like, soccer.
Come to find out.
And then we were both like, oh my God.
It was like, ah, Casey Hutlen from
Casey's on the case apparently said, oh
my effing God at like her dinner table.
Like anyone who got that alert had
a very similar, excuse me, response.
Uh, but Jayden Shaw's no longer
with North Carolina courage.
She's now with Gotham.
Thank God it's in between when
we play both of these teams.
So I don't have to worry about that.
Jayden Shaw's kind of a phenom.
She had a very, very loud and rowdy
start to her career in San Diego.
Um, got hurt, has been on with
the national team, but still
hasn't been playing the luck.
She's been hurt.
She's been rehabbing, she's
been with North Carolina.
It's been weird.
But in the same way that Gotham
seems to be unlocking Jalen Howell,
I'm curious if they're also gonna
be able to unlock Jayden Shaw.
And I am worried, but I'm not playing
them anymore and neither is my team.
So Woo.
We don't have to worry about
that until if, when we make
the playoffs if we match up.
So that's a big deal.
Um, angel City is really, really
starting to do the things in the sense
of Strauss making this, his team players
moving positions back to positions
they haven't played for a few years.
Like this is very much, you can tell
the era I grew up in, like it's a
get messy, make mistakes,
miss Frizzle of it all.
Like you have to do weird shit in
order to get the results sometimes.
And we all bought into this.
The team, the fans, everybody
said, okay, yeah, let's do it.
We're in the, we're in the muck right now
of like, we have it, we don't, we have it.
We don't.
The players are working their asses off.
That's obvious.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
The least we can do as a fan base is to
continue to believe in their hard work.
The coaching is there, the system
is there, but that adjustment
period is still happening.
And the fact that Strauss is willing and
the players are willing to move positions
and pick up positions, like with M.A.
she hasn't been a forward for almost
a decade, is gonna take her a minute.
Like, and when you play, when you have
a game like this one against Gotham,
where the ball isn't even getting to a
forward, like what is she supposed to do?
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
What is the, what are the your
forwards supposed to do if
they're not getting the ball?
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: it's like
if, if your forwards aren't getting
the ball, there's really no chance
for you to score, but also if the
ball's getting through your you can't
really blame it on the goalie either.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Exactly.
Like there's only, there's so much, but
there's so much good that's happening.
There's so much good.
We're still seeing even in the funkiness.
Um, I'm gonna mess a message I'm going
to touch on a little bit later, but
like having Macey Hodge out on card
accumulation was apparent and that,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
we talked about her earlier in
the season of just like, she's
gotta get her legs underneath her.
She got them and then she accrued
some cards along the way and now and
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: herself,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
she was finding herself.
Sometimes you lash out.
It's okay.
I get it.
I understand.
I've been in my twenties too.
Like you lash out when you're
going through shit, but
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: mean
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: as we were
saying, like we, we've all been
in the, we're, we're all going
along for this ride, whether or not
people are fully bought into it,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: it, this
is the more, the most long-term
thing we've really looked at.
Um, again, it's the same
issue that Tweed had.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: With the
team like, look, she wanted to play
a certain style, but she inherited
what she inherited and there really
wasn't much to move from there.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
And it, it didn't feel like at the time
she was allowed to make those moves.
The way Strauss is being allowed to
make those moves, like Strauss and
Parsons have a different vibe happening
than Becky and whoever was above that.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
yeah, and, and there's a
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Whoa.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: between them, but
it's also, there's a different, I think
there's a agreed upon strategy on how to
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: and they're
putting that in the best way they can.
And, you know, we've talked about,
like, there's, there's been points on
this podcast that we've talked about.
Like, all right, well, you know, it
kind of looks like we're, we're kind
of in a rebuilding year and we're
really not expecting much out of this.
Then we start seeing some really good
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Did some good shit happens.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
we're in, we're in.
This is, we're going all the
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
then this happens again.
And we're like, well, you know,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
but it's, that's sports.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
watched sports my whole life, like
almost 40 years worth of being a fan.
This shit's hard.
It's not for the week.
We all know that.
I,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
we're in, we're out.
We're in, we're out.
It's fine.
It's fine.
That's, that's exactly how it's gonna
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
yeah.
And we're working out the kinks.
It's all right.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: the, the great
thing is that we're not out of it yet.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
No.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: not premium will
let you know where we're Shit outta luck.
That's literally what my calculator says.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yep.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: have no more
chance, it says you're shit outta
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Shit.
Outta luck.
You're SOL.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
So there's one other thing.
So the running joke for Mario and I is
that the episodes go live at like seven or
8:00 AM I never remember which one it is.
Within an hour, there is
usually breaking news.
I still believe tomorrow
when this goes live.
Like if you're listening to this
right now, start your clock.
It's gonna happen.
There's more coming.
But today, I'll talk about this
in a little bit, but I just wanna
make it know Nealy Martin is
coming to Angel City goalkeeper.
Nealy Martin is coming to Angel City.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Okay.
Okay.
Wait.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
nope, we'll talk about it later.
You gotta hold that in.
'cause I don't think you remember this,
but oh my God, I'm so excited for this.
But we're gonna talk about the courage.
I'm gonna be an adult.
I'm stick to the script a little bit.
That's what I'm supposed to do.
So North Carolina has a very storied
history of being a very good team.
They've won the shield,
they've won multiple things.
They are very, very good.
Historically, they're
having a weird ass year.
We talked about it when we
played them last time at BMO.
Um, we talked about it a few weeks back
when they just randomly fired Shawn Neha.
Nobody knows why.
Nobody knows how.
Nobody knows what's going on.
Um, it's weird.
And now Jaden Shaw's out.
It's some funky is
happening in North Carolina.
I don't know what it is.
And apparently it's none of my business,
but there is still a very, very, very good
solid established team in the courage.
And one of those players is Kaleigh Kurtz.
She's a center back number three.
This story I'm about
to tell you is insane.
I was looking up stuff for notes
tonight and I read it to Eva off
Wikipedia and she went, what?
You, you're talking about that right?
And I was like, yeah, for sure.
So she's a non roster invitee.
She had been playing overseas,
comes in as an NRI gets signed
2021, or excuse me, 2022.
She's playing, gets Iron Woman
plays the whole damn season.
Cool.
2023 repeats it.
So she stays healthy.
So 2024 season starts, right?
She comes in early in the season in May,
like late May, she breaks the regular
season, consecutive minutes record.
So consecutive minutes played.
She breaks that record because she
played for two seasons straight plus
some in this third year in 2024.
So this is over 6,500 minutes consecutive.
And then she's accumulated in 2024 season.
She accumulates four yellow cards.
That fifth one, she gets suspended right
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
when she accumulates that fourth one.
There are eight games left in the
season, so one more card, me or so.
So it's a six card.
So one more card means she's getting
suspended Iron Woman out the window.
She does not commit a foul
in the remaining games.
Like not even a card.
She does not commit a foul the
rest of the 20, 24 season and
completes another Iron Woman season.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: That's
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
So if that's any indication of the
type of player she is, damn girl.
Good job.
And like honestly, I hope this gets back
to you because it's so fricking cool.
This is so unheard of because
one, she stayed healthy.
Two, she understood clock management,
time management, like stress management
in her body to be able to work
through an entire soccer season, which
each of those seasons got longer.
Also, like remember 2022
is the expansion Earth.
Angel City in San Diego,
2023 is BFC 2024 is Utah.
And now next season there's more teams.
The season after that, there's more teams.
So like this isn't just
like she's playing 14 games.
She's playing consecutively
more games, which is insane.
Um, but yeah, Kaleigh Kurtz,
she's gonna be in your face.
She's gonna stop the ball.
She's very, very good.
Um, she ended up scoring an equalizer
in the end of LA or early this year.
Yeah.
And it was the first win
of their season this year.
So like, she knows how to, how to perform.
She knows when she
needs to come in clutch.
Um, let's not let her do that.
Do that on your own time against
another team, but not on Saturday.
Thank you.
so yeah, she's real good.
Don't do it.
Don't do it on Saturday.
Just don't.
Please know, let us, let us
have our way politely please.
And thank you.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: we ask
this of every team and nobody's
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Nobody listens.
Nobody is nice to us, but you know,
I'll do what I can if you don't like,
the worst thing somebody can say is no.
So far everybody has said no
indirectly, but I'll deal with it.
Um, then we move to Brianna
Pinto in the midfield.
Number eight, she was
the third overall pick.
I keep hitting my microphone.
I'm sorry.
Third overall pick in the
2021 draft coming out of UNC.
So she also comes from
a family of tar heels.
Parents met at UNC.
Her dad played soccer.
I think her mom played softball
like that family is athletic.
Her, both of her brothers
play soccer like that.
Family plays sports at
a very high, high level.
Her brother's in the MLS.
Her other brother was in the USL.
I don't know if he's still playing.
I didn't, I didn't dive into that.
Again, I don't watch men's soccer.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: sports.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I watch some just not soccer.
But the cool thing is, so she was drafted
by Gotham and then the next, in 2021.
And then in 2022 she moved to
North Carolina in last season.
So 2024.
2023.
No, 'cause that's when Carolyn got hurt.
Carolyn got hurt to her.
ACL Neha moves, Breonna
pinto into the nine.
So like into the playmaking position
from a midfielder more towards a forward
position, she ends up scoring 12 goals.
Yeah, not all last season.
She had some before, but like she has
now scored 12 goals with North Carolina
over the course of a few seasons when
that was not her primary position
is a lot.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: What's the
sauce to get these players to you
put a player in a new position that
they're not used to maybe, and then
just have them perform also, given
that didn't happen like right away,
that happened over the entire season.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
True,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: another
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
true, true, true.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: I,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Very true.
But yeah, she's number
eight in the midfield.
She's fantastic.
Like she's a very, very good midfielder.
She's disruptive to the other team.
She's also prolific for her team and
not like she just does one thing.
Obviously she can play multiple
positions now, but that's Brianna Pinto.
I was gonna say like she's small and I
feel like everyone in soccer is not tall.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: there
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
It's getting there.
It's shifting.
Yeah, but it, it's like,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: thing.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
it's difficult for me because like
I was literally watching the WNBA
earlier tonight and these women are
like between five eight and six eight.
So like it's different.
Soccer is like up to five eight.
so
I actually did what I have tried
to do every single week and do a
defender, a midfielder and a forward.
I did it.
So Payton Linnehan, she's number 15.
She's a forward, she went to Penn State,
which is Ali Krieger's, Alma Mater.
Everybody knows I am an Ali Krieger fan.
She's just great.
She was drafted, so Pey Lenahan
was drafted by Portland in 2024,
so like the last draft, which
feels like a hundred years ago.
Because Eva and I were there and
even like come the start of the
season, it felt very far away.
January to March, or
essentially April, but still.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: I think it felt
far away because there was no more like
buildup to like this event anymore.
It was like trades and
news was happening over
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: of
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
'cause it was weird.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: like so long.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: that's the norm
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
That's a new norm.
But she was part of the last draft class,
so her first season in Portland, right.
She gets her first start on my birthday.
I wanna make this one.
This is done Omni birthday.
May 1st, she scores 90 seconds into
the game and then she assisted a
Sophia Smith goal later in the game.
Sophia Wilson now, but.
She is very crafty on the ball.
Obviously she had two
hat tricks in college.
She was the most outstanding offensive
player in the Big 10 in 2019.
Like it's there, it's starting to click.
And especially now in, in her role
with North Carolina, it's, she's more
pronounced, they work the ball to her.
You know, it's one of those things
where she's, she subbed in over the
weekend, so I'm not sure if she's
starting in North Carolina or not.
But again, they're all kind
of put in a blender as well.
They have a interim head coach.
Something's funky.
So who knows if she starts, who knows
if she comes off the bench, not me.
But that doesn't negate her talent.
And either way, we need to mark her
because I don't want her to score.
That's all.
She's very good.
All three of these women are
very good at what they do.
Don't let them be.
My biggest lesson in sport, don't let
the other team do what they're good at.
And that's how you win.
That's all.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: And I mean,
beyond us needing to win for our own
selfish reasons of climbing the ladder,
North Carolina is right on our tail.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: so, uh,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
we, we gotta do this guys, please.
Okay, so now Angel City,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Okay.
So who are you gonna start
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I'm gonna start with Nealy Martin
because I can't, I can't not,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Before you go off, I'll
let you go Uninterrupted,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: being the,
the, the casual and the new guy
to a lot of this, you all were
screaming about a goalkeeper, and,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I'll get there.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: had, and
then I, and then I, I, I, I looked
it up then I was like, oh, okay.
What?
Okay.
But I was like, did we just
sign another goal keeper?
And then you were saying a
defensive hit, and I was like, okay.
So goalkeeper that also plays like in the,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
No, I'll get there.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Aho Hey thing.
Like what?
What are we doing here?
Okay.
All right.
I
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Nealy Martin is a, a steadfast
midfielder on the defensive side.
She's very steady in the midfield.
She's very good at closing out games,
very good at being the steady calm.
Occasionally will throw a little elbow
here or there to get the point across.
Midfielder.
In the article that came out that
Jenna Tinelli put out with Sports
Illustrated about this move, Nealy
basically said, this is a calculated
risk and this is a chance I'm taking to
better myself as a leader, as a player.
Because when you're in a system your
whole career, are you really that good?
Are you really that good in that system?
This also is what I think
is going on with Alyssa.
She is very much an LA girl.
You know, like you grow up here, okay?
Like you go somewhere else
and you come back home.
Uh, this is like the last thing I'm
gonna say about the illicit trade.
Also, if you are gonna give me millions
of dollars and I'm 21, I don't care.
Tell, send me wherever
the hell I need to go.
Go be rich and excited in the uk.
Please go have fun.
Go live your life.
Go learn more about yourself
because so much of your early
twenties is learning about yourself.
A lot of these players did this
in college, did this overseas.
She came straight into the league.
Give her time to explore herself.
She will only get better.
Same thing, different
situation with Nealy Martin.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
Uh, yeah, she's coming, she's
coming to us with a, for, with
an $85 million transfer fee.
Be
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
85,000, not 85 million.
Imagine we were doing $85
million trades in the NWSL.
Jesus.
85 million.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: A 80, 85,000.
Sorry.
I'm just gonna leave all that in too.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Imagine that day.
Oh my god.
Money makes no sense.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Uh, okay.
Sorry.
So an $85,000 transfer
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: interleague.
Uh, the yes to explain a couple
things real quick before I release.
the knowledge,
transfer fees are a fee
paid for the contract.
It's not what the player is getting,
so we don't know what she's getting
paid, but she's, you know, had to
be something good enough where she's
like, yeah, I'll make this move.
Um, same thing with Alyssa.
The one point, whatever it landed at,
um, trade is a trade that's being paid
to a angel city and then whoever else
needs to get paid on that transaction.
Um, although the reports were that her
pay was going to be more than what she can
conceivably make here, because the salary
cap, it's more than one player can make.
So way,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
It's probably more than one
team can make, but we're not
gonna talk about that tonight.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: but, um,
I did have another point that I
wanted to make about the transfer.
Um, oh yes, uh, transfer.
You know, we made this big deal about
the transfer window being closed.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: a
transfer window for international
players coming into the league.
Um, in between the teams and Interleague
stuff, you can, uh, do that all the way
up to October 9th, which is roster freeze.
And, um, the last bit of technical
info that you're gonna get from me.
Please continue.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Okay.
So as I was saying.
Nealy Martin is talking about wanting
to grow as a player, grow as a leader,
and she sees this as her opportunity.
She's been in the league
for a few seasons.
She's got winning experience.
She's got really good vets to
learn from, from the players
she played with in Gotham.
Um, I'm very excited to
have her on this team.
I love Nealy at Gotham.
I will love her more in a Angel City kit.
I'll tell you that right now.
So for those who weren't around
a couple seasons ago, we're gonna
rewind, do the little woohoohoo little
like graphic that they did on tv.
Um,
Gotham and Seattle are in the finals.
It's Pinot v CREs.
It is a, a match made in sports heaven.
Gotham is up two to one.
We're almost in the death.
The rain is making a push.
Pinot's been out like she
already tore her Achilles.
Craig's is like, get me off this pitch.
My li like, my calves are
tearing, like, please rest.
I don't wanna do this anymore.
Gotham is up to one,
everything is trending Gotham,
and then all of a sudden
Seattle starts making it run.
And then Gotham's keeper, who, I don't
remember who it was at the time, but
it's, it wasn't, um, on Kuchen Berger yet.
She came in after that, their keeper
touches, like she does something at the
edge of the box that earns her red card.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Look above us.
I'll put the video in
there, but keep talking.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
So like, nobody knows what happens,
but the referee calls it and
everybody's like, what the heck?
Nobody touched anybody.
Nobody's screaming.
Like, what?
What?
Nobody knows what's going on either
team, the broadcast people in the
stadium, everyone is in the dark.
All of a sudden they start
talking about it on the tv.
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Because what happens is that
one of the players on the pitch
has to take over in the box.
I think you can sub in, in the second
half, like, you know, like if it's
in the first half, there's some, I
don't remember, but there's only like
maybe six minutes left in this game.
The only player on Gotham with
keeper experience in their
career is the Nealy Martin.
She runs over to the sideline, throws
on a keeper, kit, throws gloves on, has
like a messy ponytail and gets in the box
and she holds them scoreless
and Gotham wins the championship
and she's, uh, perfect in
her goalkeeping career.
And that's why Nealy Martin
brings exceptional goalkeeping
experience and depth to any team.
She's on
the end.
The end, that's it.
And like I, I just posted it on
my Instagram story tonight of
like goalkeeper, Nealy Martin
will never be forgotten like it
is some of the best NWSL lore.
It was so confusing.
Nobody knew what was going on.
And then all of a sudden Nealy has
on a keeper kit and gloves and she's
just like, okay, like, let's do this.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah, once, once I
saw the clips, I was like, oh, I remember
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: remember, I
remember the insane finish to this game.
Um, but when you guys
were talking about it.
I was just so confused.
I was so confused for half the day
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Sorry.
Not sorry.
Nope.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Yeah.
Well, no.
Yeah.
I mean, and I didn't ask, I didn't be
like, what do we, what do you mean another
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
This is Mario Bean, like the exceptional
example of a human as if you don't
know something that everybody else is
talking about, you can just look it up.
You can just find out and then come
back to the conversation and be
like, ha, ha, ha, guys, you're funny.
Like, but I'm very excited to
have her experience on the team,
especially because this is a team
that's looking to turn things around.
You want players who know how to do that.
Nealy was on the team when Gotham
was in the gutters and she was on
the team when they're at the top.
It takes a big mental game to do
that, and that's not always something
that's easy to learn on your own.
So yay, she'll be wearing number 14.
It is a beloved number
in Angel City history.
It's depressing what has happened to
players who have worn that number.
So please redeem it and
stay here for a long time.
Thank you.
That's my pitch to Nealy
Martin, we love you.
Welcome.
I'm so excited to have you here.
So is literally everyone except for
Gotham's fans, but that's not my problem.
And then the Macey Hodge hodgepodge,
as she's called in the Discord by
some folks hodgepodge like Hodge.
There is a grab bag of
nicknames for her now.
Um, we literally have
additional merch because of her.
I love her.
She's wonderful.
Um, the impact she has in the
midfield became glaringly clear
in the game against Gotham.
And whether Niehues or Macey is the one to
start, one of them needs to be able to sub
and to help them finish or play in tandem.
Both of them are exceptional,
but only having access to one is
detrimental to the greater team.
So I'm very happy she's back.
I'm very happy she'll
be back in the lineup.
Um, she is another steady force in the
midfield, especially for being such a
young player, like, for being a rookie.
She's very calm and very steady,
and sometimes she looks frantic, but
sometimes the midfield is frantic and
she's just responding to the environment.
Um, but I, I hope as she matures
on the pitch in the big leagues,
that she tightens up her play so
she can reign in the fouls a little
bit so she can stay on the pitch.
Mostly I just want her to do it so
she can play more and not risk, um,
card accumulation or having to like,
worry about good behavior, whatever.
Weird rule, but a number
eight, she's wonderful.
Um, yeah, Macey Hodge.
I'm excited to see you back in the lineup.
Whether you're starting or coming
off the bench, I don't care.
As long as you play.
Yeah, I would love my And
Macey together in the midfield.
I don't know who I would sub
out yet for that, but it'll
be good like the two of them.
And Nealy Martin, I'm okay with that.
I'm good.
I'm straight.
I'm fine.
That's the thank you Mark Parsons and
Alex STRs for bringing Nee Nealy Martin.
Very excited.
And then last but certainly not least,
SveindÃs Jónsdóttir, we keep talking about
her because she's so fun to talk about the
way she is knocking on the door of a goal.
It's gonna happen this weekend.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: So close,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
It's gonna happen.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: the
skill, you can see the skill
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: just, you know,
it's that last little finishing move
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: that last oomph.
And, you know, we, we saw a little
bit of a jo like that with, with
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: we saw, and,
and immediately that once she kind of
figured it out, figured whatever mojo
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
door unlocks, once the assist is
made, once the goal goes into the
net, it's gonna be lights out.
And I know it's coming.
I fully believe she scores this weekend.
After Gotham, my ass would be like
up in the goalie's face being like,
I'm kicking the ball right now.
You cannot stop me.
Like I, I would hurt people's feelings.
She has hit every single part
of a crossbar of, you know,
like every part of the goal.
But the inside it's coming.
And she's had such a big impact on
the offense because very quickly she
started drawing de like defenders
to allow other people to open up.
And that's super huge and.
Is she scoring yet?
No, but the second she
starts scoring, that's fine.
'cause all that's gonna do, if
she's scoring, it's gonna open up
Riley and Jun and Kennedy Fuller
and Christen Press and whomever else
we have on the pitch at the moment.
And all that's gonna do is create
more chaos for our opposing defenders.
And I'm here for it.
She has a nose for the goal.
She just needs to lock in the finishing.
And I am a hundred percent positive.
They're working on that.
Like you can't tell me they're not.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Oh no.
Oh
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I've played too many sports.
I haven't played soccer, but it's not
that diff, it's not that different.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: she's right
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Mm-hmm.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: right there.
And we know that the skill, and we
can see that the skill is there.
We
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Oh yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: IQ is there.
Um,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
There was one, I don't know how
it didn't go in the first half.
I don't know how It didn't go in the goal.
It just was like, no,
there's a forced field.
That's what I'm, I'm banking on.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: and part
of this can definitely just be.
It, it's a different league.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah,
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: a different
play style and, know, whether, whether
players that come into the league find
it easier or harder or, um, also, you
know, one of the big things with, uh,
with American soccer is tra the travel,
you know, traveling from, from the
west coast to the east coast to play.
That's,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
yeah.
It's a big deal and I'm, I'm
grateful that the team stayed
on the east coast this week.
They've been back east all week,
which is going to be very beneficial.
No point in flying back from New York
all the way to fly to North Carolina.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
at all.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: yeah.
So, yeah, I, we're manifesting this goal
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Oh, for sure.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: it
has, it's, it's, it's there.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
It's happening.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
just needs to tap in.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I am gonna be excited.
We're gonna be driving to like Highland
Park for me to get this tattoo, just
stream in the game and then it's
gonna be like B and then I'm gonna get
there and be like, who needs coffee?
I have soccer.
And then it'll be fine.
So between us and North Carolina,
we have played seven matches.
This will be the eighth match.
We have won three times,
drawn twice, lost twice.
We're gonna hit four wins.
Four wins against North
Carolina on Saturdays, SveindÃs
goal SveindÃs excuse me.
And um, yeah, I don't know if Nealy's
gonna play, but I'm assuming she's
been with the team since Sunday.
She probably just backed her shit and
got on the bus like, okay, bye guys.
Like, yeah.
So I don't know if she'll
end up playing either way.
She'll be with the team and she's
a good soccer brain and uh, yeah,
I am very excited for this match.
Very excited to see.
US trend up again.
So yeah, go.
Angel City.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: just hope
for no, uh, weather delays on this
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Oh my God.
Please know
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: With that being
said, uh, that was our match preview.
The match is going to be on Saturday,
September 13th against the North Carolina
Courage at First Horizon Stadium.
It's a 9:30 AM match for us.
So it's brunch time.
It's gonna be on CBS and Paramount
Plus, or listen to it on iHeartRadio.
Listen to Isaac and Tracy.
They're dope, they're amazing.
Great insight.
Super energetic, uh, play by play.
So do it.
If you have, um, ability to, and like
we mentioned, brunch match 9:30 AM Uh,
the one place that I know of so far
right now is watch me in Long Beach, and
I believe you said Tain Spirits might
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
on teams that they normally open
at nine, uh, 11, but they're
opening early at 10:00 AM Oh, no.
Saturday, they're opening
at nine for Angel City.
So you've got Watch Me and you've
got Untamed Spirits in Silver Lake.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: And there you go.
You have somewhere to
go brunch and watch the
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
And if you're at just a regular
restaurant and they have a tv, just tell
'em to turn on CBS Channel two in la
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: to look.
Bring rabbit ears for them.
Like you can just rabbit ear the thing.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
just, just screen mirror it,
you know, from your phone.
Tap into their Apple
TV and mess with them.
Do what you gotta do.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: All right.
Well, if you like what you
hear, hit the subscribe button
wherever you're listening.
Uh, if you've lasted this
long, you probably do.
Uh, check out casual fc.com
for all of the pod links for
all of the platforms that you
may ever wanna think about.
Uh, we're also on YouTube,
so check us out there.
Follow us on our socials, a casual FC
pod on Instagram threads and TikTok.
And on Blue Sky, we are our casual fc.com.
'cause we fancy like that.
us on the discord.
Uh, really easy if you can't find
the link in our socials, because
I think it might not be everywhere
as consistently as I think it is.
So if you find it cool,
if you don't, just DM us
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah, we'll get you in there
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: It's, it's
a pretty easy link to, to join.
Um, we have fun in the discord.
There's a lot of conversation.
There was a lot of news
that happened recently,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
so much.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
a lot of back and forth.
Me being confused about having
another fourth goalie, like
it's, it's all good stuff.
And then, uh, support,
help, support the pod.
There's a couple different
ways you can always do it.
You can share, like, comment.
It's the best way to help us with the
engagement and get it to other people,
um, that, you know, might have the same
interest that you do and do that on.
Wherever you're listening, Spotify, apple,
um, do it on, on Instagram, on threads,
on TikTok, wherever you see our stuff.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
And to, to everybody who's followed.
In the last couple weeks, we've
had like an influx of new followers
on multiple different platforms.
Hi.
Welcome.
Thanks for hanging out.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
my, my, all my TikTok clips
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yeah.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: and
all of that are working.
Finally,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Finally.
We're no longer shadow banned on TikTok.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
uh, grab some merch.
Uh, we have a bunch of merch.
We have Macey Hodge
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
We do
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: and that
is available@shop.casualc.com.
And if you don't feel like buying
anything, um, from our shop, but you
still want to help us out, uh, you can
always help us out by buying us a coffee.
Go to buy me a coffee.com/casually
pod.
If you haven't heard about
it, it's basically kind of
like a Patreon type of thing.
But, you know, we don't have, we don't
do enough content to do a Patreon.
We don't have anything behind a
paywall or anything like that, so it's
really just throwing a couple bucks,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
it's a tip jar, essentially.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: Tip jar.
Yes.
that's a good way to put it.
And, uh, as always, the best thing that
you can do any one of those options is
tell a friend about the pod, someone else
who's an Angel City fan, someone else who.
Is looking to get into Angel City.
We have episodes.
Go look at our, our YouTube or our, um,
our podcast page and we have episodes
on intro to all the Angel City players
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Yep.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: intro
to soccer in general too.
So all of that,
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
We are here for your
beginner soccer needs.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: and
your advanced soccer needs too.
Uh, so, but tell a friend about the pod.
It brings us good luck.
We package that.
Good luck and we send it along.
Um, like we said, they dole
it out the best they can.
So, um, but the more you give
us, the more we send over.
So with that being said, enjoy brunch
and let's, uh, hope for that win.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
Woo.
Go Angel City.
Bye.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: And if you don't
wanna necessarily buy some merch, but you
do wanna help us and, uh, support the pod,
you can always go to blah, blah, blah.
You can always go to buy us a coffee.
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
No.
me_1_09-09-2025_214309:
buy me a coffee, damnit.
Okay.
Rewind.
It's not like we, again, having been
doing this for a hundred something
schmangela-guest552_1_09-09-2025_214309:
I know
me_1_09-09-2025_214309: All right.
