travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348:
Welcome to Casual FC Back Passes, our
new ongoing series that helps provide
the cliff notes, the lore, the history
of WoSo, both in the US and abroad.
We maybe even throw in a few interviews.
Hopefully.
That's the plan.
I will let everybody know that we
are a few episodes at the same time.
You may hear this intro a couple times
because we're about to go into something
that I have been told, once again,
I'm coming into this completely blind.
I don't know what's about to be presented
to me, and it goes one into the other.
So this is our intro for, what Eva
will talk to us about, or what you
already know what this episode's
about because you've clicked into
the episode and you know the title.
I don't at the moment.
And, yeah, here we go.
angela-guest984_1_06-15-2026_162348:
Let's get into it.
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348: All
right, Eva, what am I in for here?
What am I learning
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
Okay, so
today we're gonna be talking about
the Boston Breakers, and we've
got some housekeeping to get into
before that, or I've got some
housekeeping to get into before that.
first of all, I want to
address the PowerPoints.
I cannot promise thatâ¦
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348:
PowerPoints
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
yeah.
They- Thank you.
I work very hard on them.
They will not always be as absurd
as the last one was, but I can
promise you they will always be bad.
I am not a visual arts person.
Every science project I did, every
display board looked as awful and
rudimentary as what you are about to see.
So they will always be inherently
comedic just because of how bad they
look and because of who I am as a person.
but that being said, we are gonna
be talking about, Matt Beard
today, because he was the last
coach of the Boston Breakers.
And if you are not familiar with
Matt Beard, he was the coach of
the Boston Breakers, and then
he went back to coach in Europe,
and in September, he passed away.
so just want to remind everyone
that there is help if you need it.
If you think that help
is not available, it is.
If you think you don't
have support, you do.
the Discord is a great place full
of wonderful people if you're
searching through community.
My DMs are open.
All of our DMs are open and always
available if anyone needs to talk.
but yeah, just wanted to put
that out there ahead of time.
he was pretty beloved as far as I know.
I never heard anything bad about him.
Lovely, fun guy.
again, we never know what people
are going through, so be kind.
And again, there is
love, there is support.
You have a place in this world.
You bring something that nobody else can.
So if you are struggling, please
do not hesitate to reach out.
It is the bravest thing that you can
possibly do, and help is available.
So that being said, now we
can get into it a little bit.
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348: All
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348: I
figured I should be, get the serious out
of the way, and then we can have fun.
so right off,
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348: I
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
Yeah.
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348:
I appreciate it.
I do appreciate the, the
heads up, especially if we're
gonna, hit anything like that.
And, just to preface this also for
everybody else, if you're listening
to us, to it, enjoy the comedy,
go back and watch it on YouTube
because there is a presentation.
Once a- once again, I'm completely in
the dark because I know of the Boston
Breakers because of our conversations.
I do not know much more than that, so
I am go- definitely going to learn.
And Angela
angela-guest984_1_06-15-2026_162348: Yep
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348:
not seen this either, so
we're both in the dark about
angela-guest984_1_06-15-2026_162348: I
know a lot of it just because history.
I don't know what this looks like.
I'm pumped
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
And both of you, Angela is probably
just as blind as you are to the
second half of this, which, she, you
know what it is, but you don't know
the details that I have gone into.
know I went some places
angela-guest984_1_06-15-2026_162348:
oh, no.
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
No, no, no, no.
We're good.
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348: that
is everybody's, clue into come back for
the second episode and the second part
of this, sequel of this Boston episode.
all right, let's kick it off.
let's go
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
Yeah, there's a little something
at the end for everyone.
so speaking of bad PowerPoints, I felt
the need to start with that because
I realized that I screwed up the way
that I wanted to intro all of this.
so instead of revealing, the way that
like a normal person probably would
do a presentation, we're doing this
the Eva way, so it's gonna be chaos.
we're gonna start.
I wanna shout out Boston ISA, which
is Boston Legacy's supporter group.
I don't believeâ¦
I don't know if it's the same supporter
group as the Breakers, but I know
that several of the members were
involved with the Breakers and fans.
If you watched one of the recent Boston
games, I don- I can't recall which
one, but Heather O'Reilly did talk to
two of the supporters, and they had a
Breakers Heather O'Reilly jersey to show.
they are awesome.
They did not give up on having a
team back in Boston for the couple
of years that they were without.
I say personally, long live the Breakers.
but yeah, shout out to Boston ISA.
If you are listening to us from
Boston, check them out, maybe
join up, all that good stuff.
So now we can get into it
Before Boss Nation.
Don't be s- don't be scared.
Don't be scared
And before goat balls Before Balls FC
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348: Okay.
Yeah
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
Before Boston Legacy.
Before the Tattoo Glory Hole
angela-guest984_1_06-15-2026_162348: Yep
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348: God,
I can't believe that was a real thing
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
Yeah, if you're not aware and you're
not watching and only listening, a great
journalist covering the Boston Legacy
this season, Jackie Contreras, posted
a photo from the inaugural game thatâ¦
And the photo is in the PowerPoint.
the Boston Legacy had a tattoo glory
hole where you sat down at a chair and
you put your arm through a hole, and you
would get a temporary tattoo that you
would be completely blind to, and then
you would remove your arm and see it.
so yeah, before the tattoo glory hole
angela-guest984_1_06-15-2026_162348:
Happy Pride.
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
Happy Pride.
We have, we-
Before all of that, we
had the Boston Breakers.
squadcaster-j6h5_2_06-15-2026_163917:
Okay, so for the purposes of today, we're
gonna be focusing on the NWSL years.
We are going to brush through the
early formation of the Breakers.
if you are curious about that,
Boston Breakers TV on YouTube did
a great hour-long documentary that
goes from the beginning to Theyâ¦
It didn't feel like I needed to
just regurgitate what I learned
from the documentary here when you
can just go watch the documentary.
They have a lot of great
content from the Breakers years.
They have highlights.
They have, social media,
Q&A, behind-the-scenes stuff.
Great informative channel that was
really helpful in building this.
Also, if you are interested in
learning about the leagues, wink,
we did a really fun episode on the
lore of all of women's soccer in this
country, and we get into the weeds
a little bit more with WUSA and WPS.
we're kinda just gonna gloss over
to that to get into the NWSL years.
So the Breakers were formed as
one of the inaugural WUSA teams.
They then, when WUSA folded, were
reestablished in 2007 for the WPS, and
then they moved to the WPS Elite Okay.
So we have some major notable figures
from WoSo history who were involved
with the Breakers in these early days.
coach Pia Sundhage, who was with
the US Women's National Team.
She has coached multiple
other national teams.
Great coach.
we also had players such as Angela
Hucles, who formerly was withâ¦
Yeah, one of our own, formerly with
Angel City, now with Houston Dash.
Christine Lilly, Karina LeBlanc,
who Portland, and Canadian
international goalkeeper, who is now
the GM of, for the Portland Thorns.
all of these people are active and
involved in the current league, in
terms of jobs and life after soccer.
So there is a lot of Boston
Breakers fingerprints in women's
soccer, not just the league
And now we go to the NWSL years.
Okay, so we start in 2013 and the
record was not bad and this is the
first year of the league in general.
So they finished eight, six and eight.
They were in fifth place, so no
post-season but still not that bad.
that's kind of 500-ish.
Um, they played at Dilboy Stadium
travel-mario_2_06-15-2026_193918: Jill.
Where was Jill Boyd Stadium?
angela-guest876_2_06-15-2026_163918:
That is so Boston.
squadcaster-j6h5_2_06-15-2026_163917:
Somerville, Massachusetts.
to give really good, throwback insight
to what early MWSL was like, capacity
at that stadium was 3,500 people.
Imagine today if Boston Legacy
was like, "Yeah, we have a
stadium, capacity is 3,500."
angela-guest876_2_06-15-2026_163918:
Insane
squadcaster-j6h5_2_06-15-2026_163917:
we would all lose our minds.
so yeah, they began at Dillboy Stadium.
Good old Dillboy Stadium.
We allâ¦
You know it, you love it.
Their-- the first head coach
in the NWSL era was Lisa Cole.
You might be familiar with her.
she's bounced around as an assistant and
interim head coach at multiple clubs.
She coached the US U17 team, as well
as the U20 Papua New Guinea team.
She also has worked with the Fiji women's
national team, she was the director of
women's soccer for Antigua and Barbuda,
she helped them launch a seven-team league
and she currently is a technical advisor
to the Zambian women's national team.
So she's had like an awes- like, it's
a super cool career, and she is part of
Boston Le- Boston's legacy, if you will
And some cool familiar things for
us as my notes get All jacked up.
here we go.
Lisa Cole was notâ¦
She did not last the entire year.
Eventually, in August, Cat Whitehill
became an interim manager, and
then September 13th, Tom Durkin
is hired, and he will have a
little bit of a tenure here.
we have a lot of familiar
faces on this year one team.
We've got Sydney Leroux, Heather
angela-guest876_2_06-15-2026_163918: Woo.
Woo.
Woo.
Woo
squadcaster-j6h5_2_06-15-2026_163917:
And one of the coolest stats, I think,
the first NWSL hat-trick ever was Syd
Leroux on May 4th against the Red Stars.
Yeah.
Yeah, as a
angela-guest876_2_06-15-2026_163918:
Two days after her birthday
squadcaster-j6h5_2_06-15-2026_163917:
was not-- I hadn't thought about who
scored the first hat-trick, but I was
not surprised that it was Syd Leroux.
that felt very on brand to me.
so yeah, that's year one.
Again, league is finding its footing.
Boston's off to a pretty
reasonably good start.
are small.
Lot of great players and people who
are still involved with the game.
So now we go to year two 2014, and
now things start to get a little
hairy, and this is when Boston
Breakers really become whatâ¦
Yeah, what they were in the NWSL,
which is like you, you really wanted
them to succeed they just couldn't
get it together despite having, some
really great players on these rosters.
were, the Mets for a while, if
baseball resonates with you.
so they finished eighth out of
nine teams in year two in 2014.
Their record was six, two and 16, which
is a big change from eight, six and eight.
they moved to Harvard Stadium, which was
cool because capacity was 30,323 people.
Average attendance, very similar to
what it was in 2013, 2,437 people,
which these are small numbers, and I
think it's really important to remember,
like, where these players were all
playing, and these were professional
athletes and top of their game, best
at what they do, they're playing for,
2,500 people on a good day, people just
angela-guest876_2_06-15-2026_163918: Wild
squadcaster-j6h5_2_06-15-2026_163917:
in it yet.
their head coach is still Tom Durkin,
after being, after being brought
in 2013, and Cat Whitehill remains
as an assistant coach and player.
They add the familiar faces,
you know them, you love them,
Christie Mewis and Alyssa Naeher
angela-guest876_2_06-15-2026_163918: Woo!
squadcaster-j6h5_2_06-15-2026_163917:
this is where we really get into
early struggles of the league.
There was a preseason game where mid-play,
lights at the stadium just shut off
at 9:00 PM, no warning or anything.
And the team had no knowledge
that they kill the lights at 9:00
out of respect for the neighbors.
So they just had to pack up and
leave, like the game was over.
imagine you're stan- yeah, like imagine
playing soccer and you go to kick
the ball and the lights just die out.
that would scare the crap out of me.
so yeah, again,
travel-mario_2_06-15-2026_193918:
That out of respect ofâ¦
it, good thing for the
neighbors, but dude, that sucks.
squadcaster-j6h5_2_06-15-2026_163917:
Yeah, you gotta
angela-guest876_2_06-15-2026_163918:
I get it.
Yeah, I get it, but you need to schedule
things differently if that's the case
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
So moving on to year 3, this is now
2015, and they get a little better.
Still last place finish, but 4-3-13.
That is technically an improvement.
they are still playing at Harvard Stadium.
Their attendance goes up a little bit.
Head coach still Tom Durkin,
they add Stephanie McCaffrey.
Stephanie McCaffrey is
awesome, fun to watch.
She is very close with the Mewis sisters.
if you have been around, you
may remember Sporting Chic.
Maybe that's something we get into also.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: I'm
wr- I'm writing all of these down because
I'm like, you're throwing out names and
I'm like, I know I'm-- Some of these
I've heard, some of these I haven't.
I'm gonna have to look it up unless
I get told not to look anything up.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
Steph McCaffrey is awesome, and she
is, working on professionalizing
one of the higher amateur
leagues in England right now.
It's a little controversial.
I don't know the details, but I
know that she ultimately is trying
to get women paid and given the
things that they need to succeed.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Yeah
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
is this Linehan Photography?
Is it Meg
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yes, it is.
And I was gonna addâ¦
Yeah, I was gonna say this at the end,
but now is a really good time to say
it since you just segued it for me.
no, you're good.
This is perfect.
Boston Breakers brought us not just
amazing players and coaches, but
they also brought in some amazing
talent for journalism in the league.
Meg Linehan, who is with The Athletic,
and she broke major Paul Riley story and
such, she got her start volunteering and
working with the Breakers, as did Steph
Yang, who now works for The Boston Legacy.
so these are two really important
people to the early days of WoSo
and the NWSL, and Meg in particular
is very crucial and instrumental to
where we are now as a league in terms
of her journalism and the trust that
she was able to gain from players.
So yeah, without Boston
Breakers, who knows?
It really did impress me as I was
going through this, like just how
many people who are major figures in
this game started with the Breakers.
so very historical and very
important to the history of it all
And now move into year four.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
All right
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
They get a little worse,
3-2-15, last place finish.
the theme for the Boston
Breakers is, the struggle bus.
we love them.
They were endearing.
You always wanted them to get
it together, but they never did.
This is where head coach Matt
Beard comes in, and he comes in
to take over and try and help win.
They move to playing at Jordan
Field, which has a 4,100 capacity.
their average attendance goes
up a little bit to 3,570.
And we have, again, a lot
more notable players who are
very important to the league.
We have the Sinead Farrelly, Brittany
Ratcliffe, who is currently with
Seattle, and she's been a journey
woman throughout the league.
I am a huge fan of hers.
We have Abby Smith, who is now,
hanging out in goal in Denver.
Whitney Engen, who was on the
2015 World Cup team, World Cup
winning team, to be specific.
Christen Westphal.
Brooke Elby, who w- ended up becoming the
second executive director of the NWSLPA.
So again, super important to the
league and women's soccer in America.
And Angela Salem, who, beloved player,
and is now an assistant coach in Denver.
it, again, it really just blew me away
how many, really important names and
people came through the Breakers to
end up where they are now, which was
why I wanted to do this a little bit.
I know it's not, it's not really
getting in too deep to the weeds
and everything, but think it's,
this is just a little quick, tidbit,
and we can go more if we want.
We can, you can learn more always.
Okay, so now we move to 2016 we
are in Boston Breakers and NWSL year four.
And if you
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
Yay, we made it past year three
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
I know.
Woo.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
ex- Yep, exactly.
Yeah, weâ¦
Yeah, everyone was kinda
just "Don't, spook the bear."
everyone was, like, talking
about it but not talking about
it, but it was a huge deal.
Yeah.
So they get a little bit
worse again, common theme
They finish in last place
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Womp womp.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
So last place finish again.
We now move to Jordan Field,
which capacity is a little less,
a little a lot, 4,100 people.
But the average attendance goes
up a little bit to 3,570 people
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Really quick.
So
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
a lot better
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: yeah,
they went from a 3,500 capacity to 30,000,
which is I'm guessing Harvard's football
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
football, and then back to a 4,500 cap.
Okay.
Wild.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
Early, early league.
No one knew what to do for year four.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
That's
true
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
We, were throwing spaghetti at
the wall to a certain degree
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: all
the contracts were just to year three.
They were like, "If we go year
four, let's sign something new."
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
it out
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, there, there was a little
bit of a we didn't know for
sure we'd make it this far."
like everyone d- yeah, just like feeling
like you're at like a first surfing
lesson of I can't catch my balance.
I can't get my grip.
Like everyone was really
holding on for dear life.
and this is where head
coach Matt Beard is hired.
absolutely beloved.
Nothing but good things to say about him.
He was wonderful, great coach.
could not save the Breakers, I
don't know that anybody could.
And there are some really impressive
people who come through here
who were like the big hope for
them and just couldn't do it.
some incredibly important people
to the history of WoSo come
through the team this year.
We have Sinead Farrelly; Brittany
Ratcliffe, who is currently
with Seattle and she's been a
journeywoman throughout the league.
I am a huge fan of her.
we have Abby Smith, who hangs out in
goal in Denver; Engen, who was on the
2015 World Cup winning team; Kristen
Westphal; Elby, who went on to be
the second executive director of the
NWSLPA; Angela Salem, beloved player
who is now an assistant coach in Denver
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
No big deal
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: just
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: who
wrote CBAs and changed
the way the league is
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
It's fine.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, major trailblazers
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yeah
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Okay, and now we get to year five
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Dun, dun, dun, dun-na-na
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
and this is where, this is the year that
we kinda all were like, maybe this time.
Because have this unbelievable draft,
which by the way, I was there for.
But they have four of the top 10 picks.
Funny story about the draft really quick.
I didn't know that it was just, open
to the public, so I volunteered at,
the conference for, coaching and
everything that I could And I found out
from other fans, they were like, "What
do you mean you volunteered to come?"
And so I worked for free for no
reason, because I thought that
was the only way I could go to the
draft when it was in Los Angeles.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: You
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, j-
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: alive
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
just me, nobody else.
Nobody else.
It just, I just lifted it
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
when you say you volunteered at aâ¦
Was this at a conference before the draft?
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah,
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
you went to
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: the,
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yeah
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
it's the same conference where
Ali Krieger met the Cooligans.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yes.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: okay.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
There
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
okay, the co-
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
conference
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: one.
Yeah
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, the draft was, like,
in coordination with that.
and so I thought that I didn't know
that you could just go to the draft
'cause, like, when you watch men's
sports, you can't just go to the draft,
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: No
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
Yeah, no.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
and, you can't even do that in
the WNBA, and I- it never occurred
to me that, I could just go.
but it was cool 'cause I met
Whitney Engen in line, funny
enough, who I just talked about.
So head coach is still Matt Beard, and
the draft class this year was awesome.
maybe there's an episode to be done
about this specific draft class
'cause I think it was pretty special.
the Breakers have four of the
top 10 picks, which is bonkers
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
That's so many.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
How did-- Yeah.
How did they get four?
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
and a lot of,
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Oh, true
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, it was, trades and losing.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yeah.
Yeah
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
I say with love.
so gonna go over who they took in the
draft I think it, it's just insane to look
at and know that, this just did not work.
with the ninth pick, they take
Midge Purce, who is now with Gotham.
With the eighth pick,
they took Ifeoma Onumonu.
Beloved Iffy played
for the Nigerian Super Falcons
and also in the league.
Morgan Andrews was taken at number three.
She was just coming off of
winning the NCAA title with USC.
They had this incredible
Cinderella run, so her draft
stock got boosted a little bit.
And then with the number one pick, they
take the Rose Lavelle, and the feeling
is like maybe she's the missing piece.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Okay
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
what they need
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
And remind me what year is year five?
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
This is 2017
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
2017, okay
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Also crazy that Rose Lavelle, next year
will be her 10th year in the league
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yeah
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Like we're all old.
Time is coming for all of us.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
Time's a funny thing
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
yeah, it's mean,
cool
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
it never makes any sense now
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
so you kinda, like you ha- there's hope.
There's so much hope for the Breakers.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Sounds so familiar
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
So familiar.
But you know what?
I don't quite feel like
we're the Breakers.
I just don't.
maybe because of the vibes.
Maybe if we were also playing at
a time where, it was normal to
average, 3,000 people, maybe it
would feel a little more desolate.
But it just doesn't feel, it doesn't
feel like we're quite there just yet.
maybe we are.
Maybe I'm delusional,
which I very well might be
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
Yeah, times are different, but I
think there's still a little bit of
a, of an uncomfortable common thread
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yeah,
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: to be
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
to be a sports fan,
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
But we haven'tâ¦
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
regardless of
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
but we haven't come in last place
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
We haven't.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, and I don't think we've
been, I don't think we've
been second to last either
Like year five, they're nine out of 10
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
That's true
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
And we didn't have a year
where we made the playoffs
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: true
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: I
think we're in better shape personally
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Okay.
Yeah
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
But again, delusion.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: What
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Maybe, they'reâ¦
Yeah, maybe I'm crazy.
I don't know.
knows?
And so now
We come to
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
The blank screen.
Oh no, something's coming
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Okay.
I don't know if this is going
to play, but I'm gonna try.
Year five brings us one of my
favorite pieces of NWSL content.
And again, to set the stage, in the first,
I would say like pre-COVID, pre-2019
World Cup win really, the access that
we had to players what they were willing
to share on social media was, like,
unbelievable and unprecedented, it on-
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
insane
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: yeah
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
It was so fun
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
It'll never be this way again, because
now they're all famous, some of
them are, and they should always be
protecting their privacy and their peace.
but there was a silliness that we got
to see, and this is perhaps one of,
if not my favorite, instances of that.
And hopefully the video
works with Screen Share.
If not, voodoo it back in or whatever.
but here we go
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: I
see a lot of dancing and shimmying.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
Yeah
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Okay
oh, geez.
Oh, pose.
Pose.
yeah.
This isâ¦
Oh.
Oh
We, we're-- To everybody listening, we're
seeing a whole routine in a hotel hallway
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yep.
Hotel hallway
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
sound, there, you can't convince me
that Midge didn't choreograph that.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
I'm pretty sure she did
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: paper
being, the roo- and then a key, like Yeah,
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
the Rookies, and this, the plus
C is for Christen Westphal.
So in the video, it's Christen Westphal,
Rose Lavelle, Midge Purce, Omamuno, Sammy
Jo Prudhomme, who I don't believe isâ¦
I think she's officially retired,
but she was a goalkeeper in the
league with Boston, as you can see.
so that's the kind of content
that we used to get and it
was incredible
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
we're still getting this content.
It's just on TikTok now.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
That's
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: still
doing these little dances and stuff
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
That's true, but like those are like,
this is a dance I saw, let's do it."
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Okay.
No--
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
like homemade.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
But this was like fully edited
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
who grew up on TRL
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
This was, yeah, this was fully
edited, This wasn't one take.
This was multiple takes, and then it was
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
and yeah, this was art
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
you know that was done in Pro Tools One?
it, so
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
It's that
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
If that-- it was done in like iMovie
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, I know that the social med-
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
the sound
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, the social media team was involved.
So also, we were watching another video
from, this time period, and I pointed it
out, but, video quality, like that wasâ¦
That's not that long ago for it
to be that blurry that, unrefined
compared to what we have now.
technology is insane.
So I had us watch this because
needed something positive
before we get to Closing Time.
we don't have the rights, but I just
imagine I'm singing Closing Time really
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: You c-
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
That's it
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
you can hear it in your head.
Yeah
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
yeah.
Just fill in the blank yourself or
turn it on while you're listening.
the way that this unfolds is bonkers.
So the Breakers attend
the draft on January 18th.
They select their picks.
Savannah McCaskill is
taken at number two, as a
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: So
are we talking, is this next year?
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: pick?
I'm
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: I d-
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: wait.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: Okay
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Wait.
Okay, I'm a little confused.
which draft?
Are we talking about the draft that
we just passed with all the rookies?
Next, this is the next year's draft.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah,
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Okay
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
This is 2018.
So they go through the draft January 18th,
business as usual, and then it's announced
that the team folds on January 25th.
So yeah, imagine you get drafted,
you're the number two pick, and then
it's like, "Hey, the team is done."
And
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: sucks
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
yeah, it's crazy.
And so what happens or what happened
was was a buyer in November of 2017
who had signed a letter of intent
to buy, and that fell through, and
then they could not get another
deal done in such a short timeframe.
There
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Yeah.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
there were failed p- proposals made to The
Kraft Group who own New England Revolution
and the Patriots, there was also a
proposal made to a real estate group.
the Breakers were in debt to the league.
They were behind on
several bills and payments.
and it was just bad news bears.
So goodbye Boston Breakers, the team folds
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
Did anybody get drafted
to the Breakers that year?
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Savannah McCaskill
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Up
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
That's why I lost my mind.
She was the second
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
Yeah, it was Andy Sullivan and then her
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: This is
the second pick she gets drafted, and then
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
days later
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yeah
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
know who else was in this draft
class, for so many reasons
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Are you looking it up?
Yeah.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Okay, results.
do
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
I remembered her being a top 10 pick.
I did not remember her being number two
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Number one is Andy Sullivan.
Number two is Sav.
Three is Quinn.
Four is Mikaela Abom.
And then number five is Imani Dorsey
I,
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
it, yeah.
Did she run the wrong way off the stage?
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: 13
I just, I have questions
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Not all draft classes are made the same
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
It's true.
Veronica Latsko was number 28 Wow.
Brian Williams was number 40
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
even when you consider that Dani
Weatherholt was the last pick of
the draft her draft year, and like
she has outlasted number one picks.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yeah.
Eball was also, undrafted in that year.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, it's really amazing.
Yeah, it's amazing to see who was
undrafted and who like the lowest
picks were and see there are a handful
that are still in the league, which
is awesome, and I personally love it.
And so on that note, at the same
time that this is happening, or like
a little bit before, but like right
around the same time, FC Kansas
City, which is the original, Kansas
City current, if you will, theyâ¦
Their attendance is insane.
there are games where
they have 700 people.
It's bad.
imagine Becky Sauerbrunn
playing for your local team.
won two- they've won
multiple championships.
Heather O'Reilly has been through
there, Lauren Cheney, Amy Rodriguez.
That's a whole other episode.
But like people didn't even know they
had a team, and they were championship
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yeah
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
and so they get relocated
to Utah, and this becomes,
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Kansas City FC is Becky
Sauerbrunn's hometown team.
It's not even like she's
just Becky Sauerbrunn.
That's her local team
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
Okay, so she was the hometown,
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, and they win a lot
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, and so they become the first
iteration of the Utah Royals.
And so there is, there was already the
expansion draft, but now there is I guess
we could call it a Boston Breakers, fire
sale where of the players are drafted to
other current not shutting down teams.
And what's fun about this is that
some players really luck out.
like Rose Lavelle goes to Washington
Spirit for the first time, or
first and only time, my bad.
Savannah McCaskill goes to
Sky Blue, which is now Gotham.
And then you've got
people like Midge Purce.
Midge Purce ends up in Portland
So think about that.
You are playing forâ¦
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: nasty
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: way.
going to Portland in,
2018 is terrifying
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, imagine you're on the worst team in
the league and then at the time Portland
has the best facilities, attendance is
miles ahead of everyone else and it's
just "Hey, you get to come here now."
so like some of these players
really like luck out and end up,
in glass half full situations.
and yeah, so that is our
Boston Breakers segment.
again, if you would like to know
more, Boston Breakers TV on YouTube.
is a great episode of Full Time, which
is The Athletic's, WoSo podcast ofâ¦
It's one of the COVID episodes.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: we will
include all the links for, the documentary
that Eva mentioned, the episode,
the, did you say it was The Athletic?
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yes
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: yeah.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
the full-time episode
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
we'll include those in the show notes
so that, you can get, a deeper dive
into your, Boston Breakers lore.
we're not here to steal content from
anybody, so we're not gonna regurgitate
something that somebody else already did.
but I would encourage it.
I'm probably gonna go listen to that and
go watch that, after we're done recording
this episode and my laptop doesn't die.
but we'll keep it all there
and, yeah, tell us what you,
tell us what you think about,
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, if there's a story that
I missed, which I probably did
miss some fun stuff, come to the
Discord and tell us and tell me.
much was happening with this league and
these players, I'm sure there is something
really hysterical I am not, thinking of
that did not make it into the PowerPoint.
So that being said, this is the end of our
Boston Breakers PowerPoint and episode.
we are going to transition, and you're
gonna get a little, cliffhanger to go
in for next week or the next episode.
So
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
All right.
I'm ready for this
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
okay.
Yeah, strap, buckle up.
Buckle up.
We're gonna go back to 2013.
2013 This was the inaugural
season of the NWSL.
One could say a star was born, but I
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
Okay, where you going?
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
were born
There
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Okay.
Where are you going with it?
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: two
stars in 2013 So we're not just gonna be
talking about the NWSL, we're specifically
going to be talking about the Portland
Thorns And also born in 2013 is Furlandia
We know this.
We know about Furlandia.
if you're part of the community,
that community, you may have heard
of it, or if you live in Portland.
But it was brought to my attention
because Hope Solo complained about
this in a blog post in like 2016.
and so I present to you Furlandia
We will be calling it Furrlandia
because there were several games
played home games played in Portland
while Furlandia was going on.
And again, we know about this because
Hope Solo listed as a reason why the
league was bad that the players were
staying in the same hotel as the furry
convention And if you hang out with us to
the end, the very end, you will see how
this ties back to the Boston Breakers.
But we're gonna go on a little ride first
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Oh, boy.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: Okay
Now, ground rules for this episode, and
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Okay.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
ground rule, and that
ground rule is respect.
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Yes
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
We are not making f- yeah, this
is not making fun of and fursonas.
This is not to be
disrespectful to the community.
There's a silly statistic that comes up
that I am particularly tickled by, and
that's why, we're talking about this.
again, I wanna say there's a
common misconception that furries
are exclusively a sexual thing.
That is not true.
this is expression.
This is creative.
a lot of people make their
own costumes, their fursonas.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: the
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yeah
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
and creativity of both like furries
and cosplayers blows my mind.
Especially 'cause so much of that is
homemade, so much of that is resourced.
It's not just "Oh, let
me go buy this form."
It's like, "No, let me papier-mâché
it, and then reinforce it, and then
do this other thing, and then add
modeling clay, and then paint it."
and then it's beautiful, and I'm
just like, could not do that.
The- I don't have that skill set.
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah, and people are building
their own characters.
it's really awesome.
It's a wonderful form of self-expression.
So yeah, making it
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: here,
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
clear.
Yeah
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612:
we're not here to yuck anyone's yum.
it- everybody has a release or an
expression or a thing that they
like that others may not understand.
And really, at that point, it doesn't
really matter 'cause it's not for you.
just be respectful of that.
Like
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
else, like
if everybody's consenting, if it's
not harming anybody else, why you
care so much?
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yeah
and I played a show that was at a
video game, e-game, esports thing.
I'm not phrasing that very well.
But there were furries there, and
someone came up to us who was a fan
that, the band that I was playing with.
They were not in their costume, but
they told us to look out for them, and
they showed us a photo of their fursona
and the name, and they said that they
would be there in costume the next day.
And I don't have the words how incredible
it feels to be playing the drums at,
a rock show, and there are lights,
and there are people, and everyone's
going crazy, and you look out, and
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612: Yep
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
this, polar bear, punk rock, Yeah
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
I was at that show and
probably five feet away from this person,
and I'm like, "S- it's so sweaty in here."
I was concerned because I'm
like, "Are you overheating?
Are you okay?"
And then I just see these, paws.
"Hey."
And I was like, "Yes, let's get it."
Yeah, it was a good time
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
Yeah.
And, sorry.
One of the other things that I want
to mention that's really important,
so is a 501[c][3] nonprofit.
Every year they pick a charity to support.
This year's charity that they
chose was The Pixie Project.
They are a Portland-based adoption
center and rescue that also operates
as a low-income veterinarian service
for seniors, veterans, bless you,
disabled, and low-income pet owners.
So they're finding community
and then putting more good
community out into the world.
So if you're interested, yeah,
if you're interested in donating
to that, we'll put a link below.
I figured if we're gonna
talk about them, we should
travel-mario_3_06-15-2026_195612: Yeah
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
a little extra.
yeah, so stay tuned for,
for more on Furlandia
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
You just wanted to say firt
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
yeah, 'cause it works.
angela-guest163_3_06-15-2026_165612:
It does
squadcaster-j6h5_3_06-15-2026_165612:
It's Furtlandia.
it's soccer and furries.
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348:
All right, everyone.
If you like what you hear, and
believe me, at this point, I don't
know what's about to happen, but I'm
pretty sure I did love what I heard.
if you like it too, hit the subscribe
button wherever you're listening to.
Check us out on casualfc.com
for all the pod links.
We're on YouTube.
You probably saw us on there too.
Leave a comment, leave a comment
wherever you're listening.
Follow us on our socials,
casualfcpod on all of them.
You can also find all the
links on casualfc.com.
us on the Discord.
It's the funnest place that
we can be talking about.
We- we're, talking about
boy soccer at the moment.
It is the World Cup that's
currently happening.
but it's been a blast, just even talking
about that, and we will be gearing up
for the Women's World Cup next year.
angela-guest984_1_06-15-2026_162348: Woo.
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
Hell yeah.
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348: now.
angela-guest984_1_06-15-2026_162348: one
squadcaster-j6h5_1_06-15-2026_162348:
The real one
travel-mario_1_06-15-2026_192348: boys.
all right.
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It helpsâ¦
it's an easy way for you to
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So tell your friend about the pod and come
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Bye everyone.