Angela: But sucks to suck if you
don't know what you're selling.
That's not my problem.
Anyway,
Mario: All right
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
road-tripping co-host, Angela Morales
Angela: I'm here.
I'm alive.
I'm in one place
Mario: Probably running on kind of fumes.
she's been on the road all day today.
Angela: We left Phoenix at 10:00 AM
because we were supposed to leave
at 9:00, and then I had, ran, we
went and hung out with one of my
other cousins, and then we stayed
talking, and then she kicked us out.
She was like, "Go home.
You need to return your rental car."
It was very funny.
But yeah, she has podcast stickers now.
Mario: Nice
Angela: Yeah.
But yeah,
Mario: yeah
Angela: I'm here now.
Mario: Yes.
Angela: I hope everybody had a super
great time at the game because I was
in Flagstaff for a wedding and it went
from 50 degrees and then we heard some
rumblings of thunder and then went to
40 degrees and then it started pouring.
Mario: Oh, no
Angela: coat on.
I had compression socks
on and then Angelâ¦
I had two pairs of socks on.
I had Angel City Pride socks on over
my pink and gray socks because I was
like, "I need some sort of Angel City
something on my body for this game."
had on I Heart Women's Sports.
we were like, "I will be
secretly so obsessed with this."
she had on a suit with like long sleeves.
Like we were layered and it was
freezing 'cause then we were all wet
from like residual rain, as it moves.
You might have an umbrella, but it
doesn't mean shit if it's windy, which it
Mario: Yeah
Angela: but it was a very good time.
Very
good time
Mario: I'm glad you had a good time.
We had a good time too in the stadium.
we will get to all of
that in a second, but
Angela: I promise
Mario: hey, look, if this is the
first time you have FOMO, when
I have FOMO all the time, so
Angela: though, because everyoneâ¦
Or we'll talk about it
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah
Angela: once we do a little recap
Mario: today's-- So just today's episode
is going to be about Decision Day.
Decision Day just, just, just,
we-- We'll get to all the things.
Sorry, I'm getting myself distracted.
our next match, Sunday, November
1st versus the Boston Legacy.
Again, Decision Day means all
teams all, all around the place
are playing at the exact same time.
They're finally doing it right
where p- the teams are actually
playing at the same time.
It's not "Oh, two of you get to play a
day before, and then the rest of youâ¦"
No.
Everyone plays at two
o'clock Pacific Time.
it's gonna be streaming, everything's
gonna be streaming on ESPN.
the Gotham Utah match will
actually be on broadcast ESPN.
Everything else will be on ESPN Plus.
Most likely if you have broadcast,
you can also watch it on the app too.
here's hoping to multiview
being available for, the NWS.
I haven't checked out
the app in a long time.
I don't know if you can now
choose your multiview, selections
or if it's still like preâ¦
'Cause like at the beginning, it
used to be pre, selected multiview.
So either way, here's hoping it is.
If not, get every single device ready,
logged in, and ready to watch if
you're not gonna be at the stadium.
the game is going-- Even if you are, yes.
You'll-- Coordinate all your seatmates
and what you're gonna be watching.
Angela: Become an iPad kid and
Mario: Just bring the, bring the,
bring the stand with the, holder
and, put a couple of them up.
all right, so all of this is actually
gonna happen at Dignity Health
Sports Park, which is down in Carson.
itâ¦
The game got moved.
Lots of movement that happened.
USC bumped
Angela: reasons
Mario: bumped Angel City,
and all of that happened.
I think Angel City had an inkling that
this was going to happen because from the
beginning it was TBD for that last match.
so with that being said, it's going
to be down in Carson, 2:00 PM.
Be there if you can.
there'sâ¦
Find some tickets somehow.
Be there, 'cause it's
gonna be an exciting match.
If you can't be there, it's
on ESPN, like I mentioned.
It's also gonna be on iHeartRadio.
So you'll find it somehow, some way.
It's gonna be, amazing.
There's so much on the line.
But it is a theme night.
It's our last match, technically
home match, 'cause it's here in LA.
it is the Celebración-
Angela: Neither one of
us can ever say this
Mario: Celebración de Culturas.
I have to get into Spanish mode
Angela: Yeah, it's hold
on, different brain.
Mario: I need to get the, I need
to get the tongue to roll the R
Angela: Yes.
Otherwise it's Celebracion
de las Culturas.
yeah,
Mario: Bye.
Angela: at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Yeah, that's what it's called.
It's StubHub Center.
It's Home Depot Center.
It's the field at Dominguez,
whatever the hell you wanna call it.
It's in Carson.
You know where it is.
there's a whole bunch of different events.
There's, let me see, six,
eight, 12 different, little
thingy magiggies outside,
Mario: Yeah, there's
like a Fan Fest going on
Angela: Yeah, basically
Fan Fest, but different.
The merch though, every yearâ¦
Listen, single year we have done Hispanic
heritage, the, this, cultural celebration.
The merch, gorgeous.
This one is very, very, very
heavy leaning to Dia de los
Muertos because it's on the 1st.
it literally is the day.
Mario: Yes
Angela: bring your marigolds.
I don't care.
Shit, we're gonna go
hard, so let's have fun.
the shirt is amazing.
I will be getting one, at least.
I want it.
I hadn't seen it because obviously
Banana Town's been crazy.
I had very little phone
service everywhere I was.
I need it.
I need that shirt right now.
But the cool thing is Angel City has
arranged and worked with, Metro to
arrange buses and things like that
from different, transit centers.
So if you're coming from anywhere,
Angel City will have shuttle
buses from the Del Amo Station
and the Harbor Gateway Station.
So if you're coming from Union
Station, you can take the A line to
the Del Amo Station, or, which is the
blue line, and then the J line, or
the J bus, which is the silver line.
whatever.
Mario: Yeah
Angela: it's the one that goes on the
110 to the Harbor Gateway Station.
So you can take it there,
jump off, get to the buses.
They'll head to the game.
The buses are gonna start running
90 minutes before kickoff.
So when gates open, the bus is open.
So ideally, you get to those stations
early, you get on that first bus, come
hang, because it's gonna be a party.
It's gonna beâ¦
It-- You could put Angel City on the
moon, and we will have a damn good time.
this community shows up, shows out.
It's a holiday.
We're-- It's a cultural holiday.
It's our last game of the season.
There is a shit ton on the line.
We are going to the playoffs.
You can't tell us shit Show up.
Also, for season ticket holders, they
have moved the tickets and parking.
If you had our pre-purchased parking,
ooh, pre-purchased parking, it has been
moved over to the A-X-S or AXS app.
I double-checked mine.
I don't appreciate that I'm not sitting
with my 227 homies because, general
consensus is that because this stadium
has less premium seats, else kinda got
scattered to handle the premium folks.
But I just wanna hang out with my friends.
I don't wannaâ¦
Mario: Yeah, I know.
It's the
Angela: If anybody knows where
they're gonna be, come say hi
Mario: I don't,
Angela: hit us up.
Let me know
Mario: I don't envy the, ticket reps that
had to go through all of this because
Angela: are so mad
Mario: people are mad, rightfully
especially, I, we know, we know of people
that have, tickets with family, but
because those tickets next to each other
are, under separate accounts, right?
they're treated as two separate things,
and then they got scattered to the wind.
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: they're not sitting
next to each other.
So there'sâ¦
Angela: I get it, but also
Mario: And it's not, I-
Angela: you can do
Mario: it's a different stadium.
It's not one-to-one.
It's not like you can place
everybody in the exact same spots.
make the most of what you've got.
Go out there early.
hang out.
Keep an eye out for all the SGs.
They're gonna have something
do- going on that whole day.
take advantage of the f- the,
the transit buses if you can.
Drive down there if you want.
It's big, flat top parking everywhere.
A lot cheaper than, than Expo,
for, the reason that they own
that whole area versus Expo.
It's a state park.
But either way, it's gonna be a party.
If you can make it, get down there.
I'm gonna have major FOMO because
I cannot be at this game, so Iâ¦
You had FOMO on this last one.
I'm gonna have FOMO on this one because
the elation that could happen is, ugh.
Okay.
first things first, though.
We've got a bunch of
little things to cover.
Number one, as important as this weekend
is, Election Day is right after that.
So do us a favor.
If you have your mail-in ballot, which
you should have already gotten at some
point if you've been registered before.
Like we said, if you're not,
you can always register day of.
You can always go to a polling place
and, and get yourself with a provisional
ballot, all of that good stuff.
But if you do have one, at
this point, don't mail it in.
Don't put it on your mailbox.
Don't mail it in.
Take it to any one of the hundreds
of ballot drop boxes and drop it off.
Do this before this weekend.
do this on your way to the train.
Do this on the way as you're driving
down to Carson, driving down the 110.
Find a ballot box and just drop it off.
It, you
Angela: Drop it in the ballot box
because they pick those up, I think
it's daily in the week before.
They're constantly getting them.
If you put it in with the post office,
no offense to postal workers 'cause
none of this shit's your fault.
This is the, the overarching government
bullshit, but they're, it,
it is complicated right
now with the mail system.
Put it in the ballot box.
Libraries have them, city halls,
community centers, like ours
is outside of a, at a park.
just wherever you can get your ballot in,
please, please, please, please go do it.
Send us, send us your I Voted stickers.
Send us
like from the ba- be excited about this.
There's so much at stake, not just
federally for Senate and House, elections.
Locally, your school
board is so important.
You wanna stop book bans?
Vote on your school board and
pay attention to who is running.
You wanna make sure that your water bill
and data centers aren't screwing thingâ¦
bill isn't going super high, you
don't have data centers, vote locally.
You pay attention to your
city, your neighborhood.
People realize that.
The people in power understand, oh
shit, these people are paying attention.
We cannot pull the wool over their eyes.
Mario: Yeah
Angela: Show up for your community.
It's the least you can
do 'cause you live there.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: it
Mario: So again, equally as important,
if not just ever so slightly more,
Angela: I would say a lot more,
but do it
Mario: j- just do it.
Okay?
all right.
Other little thing that I wanted
to mention before I forget.
To my seatmate, the, the, the
wonderful people that sit in my
row, which I am very sad we may not
be seeing each other next season,
but, I went to the game with Maddie.
We were walking, out because she
needed to use the restroom and, it was
after the half 'cause we, we wanted to
wait to, for it, and then I realized,
"Oh, wait, I'm probably gonna take
her to the, to the men's restroom
really quick," which is probably
not gonna be as crowded as normal.
but either way, we waited,
we got up, we were going.
it was the half, there were stillâ¦
I believe we were t- tied still,
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: at the half, so it was,
it w- it was getting nervy.
And then we just cordially say, "Oh,
yeah, we'll get them in the second half.
We'll get them in the second,"
as I'm, like, passing.
And then she goes, we gotta go
whole ass or no ass, right?"
Angela: That's right?"
That's right.
Mario: She got me.
I squeaked.
I, I was like, "What?"
And I completely went high pitch.
I squeaked.
I didn'tâ¦
I missed the step.
I fell.
And, and Maddie was already at the top of
the stairs, so I had to, catch up to her.
But I was like, I- it
threw me off so much.
It was hilarious.
we did all of what we needed to.
we took, I took her to the restroom.
We went to go get some nachos.
We came back, and then she goes like,
"You didn't expect that one, did you?"
And I'm like, "Nope.
You saw me.
I just, I just ate it right there."
Angela: no ass?
Mario: shout out to you.
That was, that made my day.
I texted Angela about, someone just
said whole ass, no ass to me, like, from
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: our, our episode,
or at least our social.
So
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: it was amazing
Angela: That's-- It made me laugh so hard.
We're like sitting there freezing.
I'm like shaking.
Literally, my hands were just
like trembling for three hours,
and I see it and I was like,
"Hehe, hoe ass or no what?"
I love it
Mario: All right.
But everything that happened
this weekend, we clinched
Angela: Woo!
Officially
Mario: We've been doing so well that we
clinched without even playing just yet.
we started off the weekend with, Shit, now
I'm forgetting the, the order of matches,
the one that made everybody qualify.
Angela: Portland
Mario: the Portland match, there we go.
The Portland match
happened first on, Friday.
We find out what's gonna be happening.
They make everybody above them qualify.
We clinch.
That is awesome, but we want the win.
So we get into the stadium.
It's electric.
It was loud.
It was fun.
weâ¦
It, it was high.
Then the goals came in.
It was insanity.
So we clinched it.
We've got the three points.
It was amazing.
I'm gonna do the standings check
now because screw waiting for
that till later in the episode.
Angela: This is my podcast.
I do what I want
Mario: I can move the
things around in the script.
Angela: Exactly
Mario: okay.
So standings check.
What ha- happened?
Denver lives to riot again.
They came back and said,
Angela: big mad after our game.
Mario: yeah.
And they said, "No, thank you.
We're gonna, we're gonna keep going."
So they still have not
been eliminated, right?
They're, they're good to go.
Spirit did not help us.
They did nothing.
You, you had one job,
Angela: ruined
Mario: it.
You ruined it.
Youâ¦
okay, so they score.
The Discord is going crazy
because it's "Hell yeah.
Go Spirit."
We're all Spirit fans right now.
And then KC t-
Angela: City, Kansas City scored first
Mario: No, no, no, KC,
Angela: Ka-
Mario: scored first.
Yeah, at,
Angela: City
Mario: and then Kansas City came
back and went, "Whap, whap."
Angela: They did go lap lap
Mario: And
Angela: But you know why I thought
Kansas City scored first is
because my mom was texting us.
Eve and I were driving from
Flag to Phoenix, and she's
like, "Lorena just scored."
And I was likeâ¦
She goes, "Washington is up one-nothing."
I was like, "Lorena scored?
Was it an own goal?"
She's like, "No."
And she's like, "Oh, Lavanga."
And I was like, "Those are different
people, and those are different teams."
like, "Who's Lorena?"
I was like, "The keeper for Kansas City."
She's like, "Oh, no, she
let the ball go by her."
And I was like, "I understand
that now, thank you."
But yeah, her autocorrect
was like, "What is this?"
And then put Lorena, and I was like, "No."
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: So
Mario: So with everything that
happened, with us winning, getting us
into prime position for what's going
to be a very chaotic decision day.
for better or for worse,
this is what we want, right?
As
Okay, if we take a step back as fans
of the NWSL, this is what we want.
We want the chaos.
We want the unknown.
We want everybody to go
whole ass in this last match.
As, as fans of teams that are on
the bubble one way or another for
one level, tier of thing or another,
it is stressful as all hell.
Angela: Have we clinched?
Are we going to the playoffs?
Yes.
Mario: Yes
Angela: want a home match.
However, ugh,
Mario: Yes.
Angela: the Spirit to win so
Mario: S- so we, h- I, I posted,
what the, the chaos is going to be.
I know a couple of other people
posted stuff, Reddit threads,
Twitter, wherever it may be.
Angela: with your posts,
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
And there was a little bit of
banter of, some people being
like, "This is not chaos.
We already know," da, da, da.
I'm like, part of me is "Dude, I get it.
I get it.
You're like, you're probably one of
the fans of the eliminated teams,"
and you're like, we already know who's
in it, and so it's not that chaotic."
Angela: who's playing who?
We don't know.
We don't know.
Mario: none of the teams from
one through six are locked.
Yes, they have all qualified.
Yes, they have all clinched.
They are not locked in their position.
Gotham has not secured the shield yet.
Angela: Which is insane
Mario: Send-
Angela: Like in my head, they
Mario: yes.
They, yeah,
Angela: they,
Mario: they bas- they can basically walk
through and get the shield b- on theâ¦
But the fact that they're not gonna
win it till the final day, and they
have the threat of, of the Wave
possibly, taking it away from them right
Angela: Yeah
Mario: at the, at the end.
So the shield hasn't been claimed.
Only two home field
spots have been claimed.
there's three teams going for,
home field advantage: us, Kansas
City, and the Washington Spirit.
Again, there's a lot of permutations
that need to happen either way for e-
all those teams, but it's possible.
And then there's three teams vying
for two more spots of, of the playoff.
So yes, this is chaos.
This is insanity, and this is
what we, again, step back as an
NWSL fan, that's what you want.
Us as Angel City fans, it's nerve-wracking
because I have opted into the playoffs.
I wantâ¦
Charge my card, I wanna
go to a playoff at BMO
Angela: I just spent so much money
on trading cards and vacation,
and I want to spend more on
season-- on, on playoff tickets.
Please.
Mario: okay.
So I'm gonna run down
through these real quick.
I'm also gonna show them on screen,
for anybody watching on YouTube.
But, like I said, Supporters' Shield
between Gotham and between, San Diego.
San Diego with a win and a Gotham
loss, they're, they made it in.
Gotham win, draw,
they're automatically in.
If they lose, but Bay FC wins or
draws, I think they can still make
it with- 'cause San Diego and Bay are
playing, in, in their games, right?
So that's yet to be decided.
we absolutely need a win.
There's no ifs, ands, or buts, really.
We need to win in order to
give us, ourselves our best
chance, to make the home field.
Now, we have two ways.
It- as long as we win, there's
two ways for us to make it.
One is, the Spirit losing,
which they're playing Chicago.
crazier things have happened.
Crazier things have happened.
But we, we would need
Chicago to pull the upset.
and then the other team that is, right
on the cusp with us is, Kansas City.
Now, Kansas City, all they
have to do is drop a point.
If they draw, we host.
If they lose, we host.
So we are all
Angela: ofrendas, you put something
to the soccer gods, damn it
Mario: We
Angela: believe in this time of the
year, soccer gods are included in this
Mario: Yeah
Angela: we need the Spirit to
lose we need City to lose, please.
Thank
you
Mario: Yes, please and thank you.
okay, so those are the two main things
that we're gonna be looking at as
Angel City fans is Kansas City to
draw or lose or Washington to lose.
Either one of those results helps us out.
So please, one of those.
Denver, North Carolina, and Seattle
are all vying for that last spot.
Denver, they, they
straight up need to win.
There's no other result that will
help them in any way, but they
need to win with a Seattle loss.
North Carolina needs to win with
a Seattle draw or loss, right?
and then Seattle, all they have to do
is win, but then things get muddy if
they draw or, or end up losing, right?
So all of that, it's, it's crazy.
it's complicated.
I also did a special decision day chart,
that I'm putting on screen right now
too, and it's showing the possibilities
of where everybody can land, right?
We have the possibility of landing
anywhere from third place to
fifth place, on decision day.
you'll see the range of
all the people, right?
Gotham really can only fall
between first and second.
San Diego can actually,
fall to third possibly.
so on and so forth.
You kinda go down and then, how Seattle
can fall from, be from anywhere from
sixth through ninth place, sorry.
And then North Carolina and Denver,
really, they can only get eighth.
that's the only reality for them.
Angela: This is so much
Mario: it's insanity.
So let's just, really focus on
the Angel City possibilities.
Like I said, we can
reach up to third place.
That is with the, Washington loss.
we can reach fourth place with, Washington
winning, but Kansas City drawing.
if we, if we draw, we can still reach
a top four, but again, we need, we need
Angela: to
Mario: a, a whole bunch of things.
New Jersey needs to beat Utah,
Houston needs to beat Portland,
Louis- Louisville needs to beat KC.
All of that needs to happen, and we can
still make it to at least fourth place.
or we could fall to, fifth, and
then we don't even wanna talk about
a loss 'cause we're gonna win it,
Angela: Here we
are
Mario: know, at home.
We're on a high.
So with all of that being said,
shooting for third or fourth place.
Insanity.
Anybody that would've told you at
the half point of this season that we
would be gunning for a home field spot
Angela: Yep.
Mario: nobody would've
believed you, right?
Nobody would've taken that bet.
and that's not to say that we
didn't believe in the team, it was
just the reality of the way it was
going did not look anywhere likely.
But holy crap, is it going to be an
exciting-- Like, I, I don't understand
the people that were saying like, "It's
not chaotic, it's not as exciting."
this is
Angela: We don't know who the
MySpace top eight are yet, or
Mario: No.
Angela: ranking.
Mario: Yeah, we don't know
Angela: who
Mario: how you rank your MySpace Top 8, no
Angela: top six are roughly, but,
we don't know the full top eight.
There's still some moving around.
Mario: No.
Angela: need to be made and broken.
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: drama needs to occur.
Mario: This green screen back here
that doesn't show you the string
murder wall that I'm, like, calculating
everybody, is keeping me sane.
But, yeah, it's it's, it's a lot.
Yes, it is.
Angela: All right.
So we had, weâ¦
Okay, so first of all, apologies.
Last week we forgot to read Ethan's
haiku 'cause we were just screaming.
This week, the weekly haiku is,
"Playoff bound, home round, whole team
on the same page, passing D on point."
Mario: Yep
Angela: Yay.
So This is, my first match review where I
haven't seen, obviously start to finish.
I've seen the highlights,
I've seen all the things.
I have voted on the
NWSL Instagram account.
I am so proud of this team there's been
a lot of talk of different players who
aren't playing as much this season.
Are they even that good?
Are they, Why are they not playing?
We have an embarrassing amount
of riches on this team, and
we are so lucky to have them.
best part, that banger from
Giselle, opened the can.
beautiful, beautiful goal.
The progression of the ball
on the field, gorgeous.
it is a very typical
top bins Giselle goal.
I think her only way to score, the
only way she will allow a goal to
go in is if it's, off the crossbar.
She's like, "I've won every
crossbar challenge, therefore
the only way I'm scoring now."
but to have Riley Tiernan come
in, to have Neely Martin come in,
they have sh- both struggled this
season for a variety of reasons.
When, when we look at Riley's
career thus far, she's had three
different coaches in two years.
That's too many.
That's three different systems.
That's a lot of chaos.
It's a lot of constant change and
a- adaptation, and yes, her job
is to adapt and change, but it
doesn't mean they're always gonna
work for people when you do that.
You sometimes need longer to adjust.
You need longer to figure out your role.
Sometimes people scoop in because
they adjust faster or it's better
suited for their style of play.
Whatever it is, to have both her
and Neely come in with a sick-ass
pass from Neely that justâ¦
we have had multiple passes from
Emily Sams, Savy King, now from Neely,
where it's this, run, run and, kick
the ball splat and they're just, on
the ground like, "Okay, please just
go where you're supposed to go."
I think two or three of them have
wound up as an assist on goal.
this is one of them.
Neely's ball in was insane.
Riley had two people on her plus the
keeper and just bloop- And I, everybody
knows I love Silky, all respect to Silky.
Damn, girl.
yes.
it was so good.
We got back to the hotel room
after the, after the game and,
I'm trying to take my makeup off.
Eve and I are so tired.
We're a little tipsy.
she just goes, "Have you seen goals?"
And I'm like, with my little face, face
wipey thing trying to get my makeup off.
She's like, "Have you seen goals?"
I'm like, "No."
I'm like, elbow deep in makeup remover.
And she's like, "Oh my God, hurry up."
So I get over there, and, we pulled
them up on my iPad 'cause we're like,
"We have to watch it right now."
ugh, it, it was electric, and
then we had to, try to go to
sleep, and it's midnight, 1:00.
We're like, "Okay, we gotta go to bed."
But job.
I'm so proud of both of them because it's
so easy to give up on your season when
you've had a struggle bus year for a vari-
whatever the reason is, it doesn't matter.
But I'm so happy for both of them
to come in and say, "You know what?
This is the chance.
This is the opportunity," because
it reminds them, it reminds the
opponents, sure, but it reminds
them that they are that good.
It, it boosts the confidence.
It does so much for their brains
to be like, "Oh, am still a
professional soccer player.
I'm still damn good at what I do.
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah
Angela: Cool.
I'm all right.
I can recalibrate and take a breath
and be like, 'Okay, this season
has been weird for a bazillion
reasons, but I'm all right.'"
I love that for them.
And then Mario
Took the San Andreas cup game.
Mario: It was there
Angela: sweet baby angel with him
right now, for those of you listening
on audio, with the stars on it.
Mario: yes,
Angela: What
Mario: the stars.
I think I'm just gonna have to take it to
all the San Andreas Cup games from now on.
Angela: so
Mario: it just, needs to come along.
in the stadium, like I
said, it was electric.
It was really fun.
It was really exciting.
there was a lot of good
progression that wa- thereâ¦
It felt like there was a
lot of good progression that
was happening on the field.
the first half, the f- again, the only
thing that causes me a little bit of I
can see us getting better at it, but it's
like we're like chipping away at it, is
that every start that we have, there's a
little bit of a, of a slow wind up where
we're figuring the team out real quick.
Angela: Yeah
Mario: a little bit of a, of a,
oh, the, the one comment that keeps
popping up in every game, oh yeah,
the, the one comment that keeps up
coming up on every game is like, "Oh,
Angel City forgot they were fast."
Angela: Yeah
Mario: we kick on the jets.
Then we're like r- running everybody down.
We're like, But the beginning of it
always tends to be a little bit nervy,
a little bit, like poking, prodding,
like trying to figure things out.
and then once we find what's
clicking, then it's just open
the door and hitting gangbusters.
Ary seemed a little off,
like just, just a step slow.
And g- and I only say that because
she was right in front of me, for
a, a portion of the game, and I
was just like, she's, she's a step
late to the ball every single time.
which I was like, that's, that's
not like her, but, whatever.
theâ¦
Ba- Bae was flopping a bit.
there was a bit ofâ¦
Angela: very physical and
not in a normal AFC way,
Mario: it
Angela: a little bit extra
Mario: it was getting a little extra, a
little physical, but then it was one of
these things where when they went down
There, there were, there were one
or two incidents where yes, it was
hard hit, hard crash, whatever.
the players were down.
That was serious.
give them some time.
there was a good handful of
other times though, where it
was like, nobody touched you.
Or you fell over pretty easily.
Angela: you,
Mario: a little leaf, yeah,
a little leaf that fell over.
The wind blew you a little too hard.
and, and so it, they startedâ¦
It felt like Bay started
with the shenanigans way
earlier than they needed to,
Angela: Yeah
Mario: maybe that they were
trying to play for the tie.
which thankfully our team was like,
"Nah, you ain't gonna do that shit."
And then as soon as we got the
two, you can see where we started
doing the shithousery, and we s-
we started taking over, and we
started taking it to the corner, and
we started keeping the ball away.
All of that stuff is just,
it's been, it's been great.
And then, I, I, I think it was fun.
It was exciting.
I'm really bummed that I'm not
gonna be able to be at, Dignity
Health, for this last match.
It'sâ¦
my kids
Angela: You gotta
Mario: know if I have a headphone,
one headphone in my ear.
Angela: He's gotta be a good dad, guys
Mario: I can't.
I'm gonna be at the Aquarium of the
Pacific, and it's gonna be loud.
It's gonna be, have a lot, a lot of
people, so a lot of people with little
ones that are like, you can't see.
I either need to tie like a balloon
to them, or I just need to be
on them the whole time, 'cause
Angela: Yeah
Mario: a very confined, small space with
a lot of people pushing around, so yeah.
But that's where I'll be.
I'll be close.
I'll be close by
Angela: You'll be closer
than if you were at home.
Mario: True.
Maybe I can hear the
roar of the, the stadium.
Angela: know
Mario: all right.
I was gonna go over, the scores
from last week, but who cares?
This is decision day.
At this point, it's just one game left.
P- s- points don't matter.
It's whose line is, is it anyways?
It's, points don't matter.
We're just going on to the next one.
Angela: here
for it
Mario: What happened, we know what
the ske- what the, table looks
like right now, so let's move on.
all right.
What do we, what do we got?
This is our second meetup with Boston.
Angela: Yes
Mario: do we have looking forward for
us at this point with Boston being out
of the, the playoffs already, right?
Are they gonna come in, be that spoiler?
Like, howâ¦
Angela: Yes
Mario: last match, but,
yeah, what do, what do, w-
Angela: Boston is coming into their own
and they're able to play a lot freer
because they're-- nothing matters.
They can, they can spoil, they can
have fun, they can relax, they can
just play, that's what's happening.
So the thing with Boston is that
they are also on top of being decent.
know, I think the beginning of the
season, they had a lot of injuries.
They had a lot of weird stuff happening.
They were still trying
to figure themselves out.
they are now figuring out that
they know how to move the ball.
They know how to play well.
They are still an insanely
overly physical team.
I, generally for the sake of the
league, they need to dial it back
like 15% 'cause it's not necessary.
It's like the kind of physicality where
you're just like, for, again, for real
Part of it I understand, part of
it I never will just based on the
players, but it is what it is.
our goal is to not lose
our cool against that.
We talk about it all the
time with the Spirit.
I'm always like, "Just make Trin mad.
Everything else kinda goes
blah, blah after that.
in their heads.
Mess with them."
The thing is, is we can't
be those people either.
We can't be the, the team that,
oh, get under this person's skin.
And that's happened the last
couple games and we've handled it
really, really where we get carded
for something stupid, there's
pushing, there's shoving, whatever.
We have to just let it go.
We have to let it fall away because why
let another team beat us at our own game?
We are in control in this situation.
We are healthier.
We are more secure in who we are.
Like, there's no reason why we
should not dictate this game.
But at the same time,
Boston is still very good.
Boston is learning how to be
themselves, which is dangerous
because they can spoilâ¦
Houston did it either last
season or the year before.
They just kept winning
at the end of the year.
They'd already been eliminated
severely, and they're just
like, "I don't give a shit."
Paige is like, "I'll score.
I don't care."
it was the kinda thing where you're
just like, dang, they don'tâ¦
They're, they're still in it, and that's
the one thing I love about this league.
We might not have relegation,
but we'll have we'll ruin the
party, which is maybe worse,
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah
Angela: It's a little more insulting.
oh, you didn't even make the
playoffs, you're still winning.
Shit.
so that's my biggest thing.
And Boston, with their ac- their recent
acquisitions, especially Gift Monday,
have shouted from the rooftops about
Gift Monday over the last couple seasons.
She now has a bigger role in Boston,
and this is important, and this
is bad because she's that girl.
If you watched WAFCON, if you've watched
any African tournaments, you will
know that she is that, that player.
She's so wonderful to watch.
love that she's getting more playing time.
I love that she's getting
more respect on the pitch.
I don't like it right now
Mario: Not, not when you're
gonna potentially ruin our day.
Angela: Not, no.
Mario: get, get your, get your reps in,
get your, get your miles up, but, you
Angela: But n- no.
the curious thing is that Casey
Murphy is now out with an SEI.
She's out for the rest of the
season, Laurel Ivory, their
backup keeper, is in goal.
Not Hannah Stambaugh.
She's got aâ¦
L- Laurel Ivory's got more experience,
but she is not to sneeze at.
She is a fantastic keeper,
so it's not like we're going
from top tier to, snooze fest.
We're getting, one B essentially,
not even, two or three or four.
It's just boop boop.
just easy.
so it'll be interesting
on that end of things.
The, the elephant in the
room for me is the Bianca St.
Georges of it all.
I have big feelings about BSG.
Not many of them are good, but a lot
of them is because she is overtly
physical the point of like, girl, what?
Why?
are so good.
You're a Canadian national team player.
You have won many different levels.
You are fantastic.
Why do you play like that?
The yellow cards, the red cards, like
chill for 10 seconds before you shove
somebody two-handed in the back.
I don't know, it's just a thought,
but we have to keep ourselves in check
in the retaliator- retaliatory way.
Like we can't retaliate.
We can't like just get mad at that.
You have to do your best to play
through it because if it doesn't
work, she doesn't continue it
Mario: We have to, we have to,
we have been a victim of this, of
playing to the level of our opponent.
Angela: Yes
Mario: at times that's okay
because we're playing up,
Angela: Right
Mario: And when, when we play up,
we're, we're meeting the challenge.
We're, we're getting there.
There's times where, not to say any
other team is, is, w- way worse than
us, but it's if a team comes in that
starts being physical, that starts
being, that's just trying to drag
down the tempo, drag down the, theâ¦
We, we play down to that, and then
that's where we get, blindsided.
We get kicked in the butt, So yes,
definitely need to stay away from the
retaliatory, let's, let's learn from
the Denver of, if you're gonna play like
that, you guys aren't skilled enough.
Yeah, just watch.
Bet.
we're g- we're gonna take that shit to you
Angela: the thing is though is that B.S.
she can also score, so like we
have to cover her regardless.
And, and that's the thing, I said it a
lot about Merritt Mathias when she was
on Angel City and had we had this show
beforehand when she was in North Carolina.
The reason why so many people did not like
her because she was incredibly physical,
but she was also incredibly good.
can't get away with those
things just being mediocre.
You have to be very, very good.
Mario: You have to back it up
Angela: yeah, basically.
and then lastly, Amanda Gutierrez.
She's a Brazilian national team player.
She's stupid good.
She led the Brazilian league when she
was on, PodeRosas for three years.
She led them in scoring all three seasons
She's had multiple games with braces.
Now she's with her little top bun just
like, boop, boop, boop, I'm so good.
that's all fine and
dandy, but no thank you.
I want a clean sheet.
I want a clean sheet for our last game.
This is, this is my keys to the game.
Don't let them get in your head.
Chill out.
we're cruising, we're playing our game.
This is our last home match.
We will have the power of
the people that we cannot see
because it is Dia de los Muertos.
we will have the power of our ancestors.
We will have the power of the people.
We will have field advantage.
this is our game.
We have to take advantage of that.
Two, we cannot get into the mat- the,
the punch for punch the physicality.
We have to just go with it and, and
let it be and walk away from it, and
it's gonna piss us all off as fans.
It's gonna piss off the players.
We just gotta do it.
And then obviously we have to score
like 9,000 goals because ifâ¦
why not?
Let's have an even bigger goal
differential 'cause it's fun.
Mario: Yeah
Angela: 'Cause at this point
it's raining goals and I love it.
So all of that.
We have, again, we, we've
played Boston one time.
We beat them one time.
Let's make it two times.
I love this.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: do it.
the biggest thing I wanted to talk
about is the LA Times article that came
out today when it comes to Angel City.
Everyone needs to take a big deep breath,
hold it for four seconds, exhale for
four seconds, and then do it again.
Inhale for four.
We're box breathing, guys.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: chill out.
Okay, here's the thing.
One, you don't know when
the interviews happened.
Two, that author,
historically inflammatory.
Mario: Yeah.
I don't like him
Angela: none of your business right now.
Yes, it is our business in the sense
that we are season ticket holders,
but we do not make decisions.
We aren't the players.
We don't know what the players need.
There's big freak outs.
I have not been on my phone all
night with the exception of texting
people about the Brewers and the
Devil Rays because I was so irritated
at the like whole ass meltdowns
about possibly losing Sarah Gorden.
Do I wanna lose Sarah Gorden?
No.
Everyone knows I adore, I
do- I adore her as a person.
She's incredibly kind.
She is smart.
She, she rides for this city During
everything over the summer last
year, this year, she has shown up.
has worked with mutual aid groups.
She has worked with our supporter groups
to get out and help people that she can't.
is very quiet in her leadership
that way because just does it.
She doesn't make a big deal about it.
She is a wonderful person.
She's even better on the pitch.
you think how good she is here?
She's better here.
You think she's good here?
She's better here.
she is a solid human being.
She is incredibly stable for this team.
She has been incredibly stable over
the last five years, even during that
first season with her knee injury.
has led us this entire year, this buildup,
this stressful transition time, because
yet again, we lose a coach mid-season,
and you wouldn't even know because we
have leadership like her on the pitch
the goal that I think that we need to do
regard- we don't know what can happen.
is also a whole ass human being with a
kid, with a family, with decisions that
she has to make that are best for her.
Mario: Yep
Angela: Absolutely the fuck not.
my girl.
she thinks it's funny that I still have
trading cards that she hasn't signed.
she does notâ¦
I'm not even the biggest Sarah
Gorden card collector that I know.
we- we ride for her as fans in the
stadium, we do with trading cards.
It's know, just make it rain
Sarah Gorden cards, except
don't because they'll bend them.
don't do that.
but no, she's, she's such a good
human, and she will make the best
decision for her and for her family.
And you have to remember
that she is a whole person.
She's not just your team.
she's not just your player.
Mario: Yeah
Angela: is a wholeâ¦
W- she, she's building
out a fashion brand.
has this whole life that she has outside
of soccer, just like every other player.
And at the end of the day, as much as it
sucks to remind everybody, 'cause I hate
saying it, is that sports are a business.
The players are pawns, the players are
pieces, and, and they move around, and
it sucks when your favorite playerâ¦
'Cause will tell you right now,
I will be damned if Vlatko scoops
her up and adds her to the Infinity
Stones and takes her back to Chicago.
I was talking to Eva in the car
on our drive home today, and I was
like, it happens and she leaves,
I, yes, I 100% will be devastated."
I think everybody will be
because she's she's ours.
That's, thatâ¦
Mario: She's ours now.
Yeah, she's, she's v- so integral, yes
Angela: Exactly.
But, to Chicago?
To go back home?
How dare.
And, to Vlatko?
Absolutely not.
he is a wonderful coach.
He's a wonderful de- m-
development, a leader.
He's so good at what he does.
But, bro, no.
yeah, the best thing we can do on Sunday
is to show up and show out and remind
the FO how much we love Sarah Gorden,
how much they need to throw money at
her and to make it right, how muchâ¦
the other part to this as well is that
deal could have already been done.
We don't know.
Mario: Yeah
Angela: We have to wait for the league's
approval and the league's okay to announce
it or we get fined Simple as that.
And that's every team, every player,
every contract, every decision,
every trade, every everything.
Mario: And as we know
Angela: The teams are not-- Like,
they are owned by the league,
so everything gets approved and
authorized by the NWSL as a league.
So once they say, "Yes, okay, you can
make the announcement," then we do.
Mario: Yeah.
And as we know, Angel City's
history is, definitely fine ridden
Angela: Exactly.
So everyone's a little cautious.
But like with that, you also have
the, the team and the players
sometimes hold that because they're
like, "I don't wanna take focus away
from what we're doing right now.
We are on a playoff run.
We are working towards
the end of the season."
Monday morning we might find out
that she's re-signed another,
47 years for Angel City.
You don't know.
We have no clue.
You are not in these offices.
And the players the autonomy and the
agency to make the best decisions for
themselves and for their families.
She is a mom, and she's not a mom of a
baby, she's a mom of a whole ass teenager,
like that we've all watched grow up.
So yes, they are ours,
but like they're not.
They're, they're ours on loan essentially.
So be ready for whatever the hell.
It's gonna suck if it happens.
It'll be amazing if it
doesn't and she stays with us.
But like
Mario: Regardless,
Angela: please, please, please.
Mario: she is wearing
this crest right now.
Angela: Yes.
We still have at least two more games.
We have this last final game
of the season, and we have the
first round of the playoffs.
Mario: Yeah.
So
Angela: of two more games, ideally four.
Mario: Yes, ideally four.
So if that when, where, how, whatever,
does not matter, she is wearing the crest
right now, she will be playing her wh-
she will be whole ass for this crest.
Angela: shit, I'll
Mario: No.
Angela: now.
Mario: So
Angela: is a whole ass or no ass girl
Mario: so she will be there.
She will be on the pitch, and she
will be giving her all for the team,
for the fans, for, everything, right?
So appreciate that.
sometimes we get lost in the
sauce of, what's gonna happen.
Who cares what's gonna happen?
We're in the playoffs.
We're securely in the playoffs, and we're
not worried about it, this, this match.
we have a really great opportunity to
host a game, and we are on a run that
we haven't seen before in he- heading
into the, heading into the playoffs.
And as any fan of American sports
and playoffs knows, you needâ¦
When you get hot, you need to get
hot at the right time in order to
make it through those extra matches.
So let's, let's keep it
f- let's keep it fun.
Don't add to the noise.
Don't be a keyboard warrior.
And remember, the
players see what you say,
Angela: Yes
Mario: don't be an asshole
Angela: hear it, they read it.
If they themselves don't, it gets back
to them through their agents, through
the team, through other players.
they know if you're being a dick.
stop.
And again, just take a second.
If, even if it's one of those
where you type it out and you're
like, "I shouldn't say that."
done it.
I've done it plenty of times.
I've said things I didn't, I shouldn't
have said on the internet that I have
deleted, that I have left up because I
deserve the, the smoke that I received.
I have done it.
I don't do it anymore because
I un- I know them now.
these are people I have met.
These are people that I care about because
they are f- they are playing for my team.
Let them be human.
Let them be in charge of their lives.
Either way, show up on Sunday
Mario: Yeah
Angela: and hoot and holler and remind
the FO just exactly who Sarah Gorden is,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: queen of the world
Mario: with all of that, if you made
it this far, hit subscribe, go to
Casual FC for all the pod links, do
all the things, come join the Discord,
buy some merch, send us some money
at buymeacoffee.com/casualfcpod,
and tell a friend, most
importantly, about the
Angela: Tell your
Mario: pod
Angela: tell your ancestors, put
on your ofrenda, like everything,
Mario: everybody.
Angela: This is the week.
We
Mario: Their Threads now has an
NWSL thread, so get on there and
Angela: it
Mario: get on there and share
us, all of that good stuff.
with that, we will see you wherever
you're at for decision day, whether
it be online, in stadium, on text
messages, whatever it's gonna be
Angela: everything.
I will have my, I will, I will have my
extra battery and, we're just gonna pray.
Mario: Yes.
Angela: I don't know if I'll have press
access because of the different location.
I don't care if I do or not
because I just, I'm gonna
need to scream at some point.
I will have to leave the
box and hoot and holler.
So let's
Mario: Yeah.
And tops of fun, everyone.
All right.
Happy decision day.
Bye