WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:08.679 It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine 2 00:00:08.759 --> 00:00:14.679 day. Now here's Nick Coffee, Well not exactly Nick Coffee, he is 3 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:18.839 on vacation. I'm Scott Fitzgerald, your substitute teacher for the next couple of 4 00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:23.239 days along with John Alden, hanging out at Sports Talk seven ninety great shows 5 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:27.359 so far. Big thank you too. I'm the Olky's Matt Meloseovich for joining 6 00:00:27.399 --> 00:00:30.519 us earlier on to start the show off. Talk a little baseball, very 7 00:00:30.519 --> 00:00:35.000 special night in Major League Baseball coming up tonight as they owner the great Willie 8 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:39.280 Mays and of course a tribute to the Negro leagues. We'll talk more about 9 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:41.479 that as we get on through the morning. Coming up at four thirty, 10 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:45.719 the myth, the legend, the man himself, Jeff Milby, soccer voice 11 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:48.679 here in Louisville. No one knows the game more than mister Jeff Milby, 12 00:00:48.679 --> 00:00:51.359 and he'll be longing to join us. Talk about that. Coming up at 13 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:54.840 four thirty then five o'clock, we're gonna talk helmets. Are you a helmet 14 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:59.479 geek like me? While we ran into a guy who has gotten so popular 15 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:03.640 that NFL clubs are now inviting him down to take a look at their product. 16 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:07.519 And it all started because he jumped on TikTok. It's not evil, 17 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:11.280 it's okay. TikTok isn't going to hurt you. You know what it is, 18 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:14.920 Scott, it's the new YouTube. Because I say, ten to fifteen 19 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:17.840 years ago, there were a bunch of people, whether it be music artists, 20 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:21.519 people like this guy, they were getting discovered off of YouTube. That's 21 00:01:21.640 --> 00:01:26.319 exactly right. And you know, you had a few politicians who decided they 22 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:29.599 didn't like China and they had a chance to really expose China, and they 23 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:33.239 thought TikTok would be the vehicle to do it. I do think it's funny 24 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:38.359 that two of the top politicians in the country, former President Trump, former 25 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:42.560 President Are now President Biden, spoke out against TikTok, yet both of them 26 00:01:42.599 --> 00:01:47.599 have a TikTok account. That's not that bad, Okay, there's good people. 27 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:52.599 When I've come to realize too, John, with TikTok is there's very 28 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:56.519 talent. There are talented people out there that are not getting paid enough for 29 00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:59.319 what they do. There are people I see out there that just you know, 30 00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:01.120 we had to periods. I don't know you're watching show America's got talent. 31 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:05.359 I've seen bits and pieces. I feel like some of its little hoky 32 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:07.439 nowadays, But yeah, it is. That's exactly right, and that was 33 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:14.439 a great analogy because what tiktac, what TikTok does is they cut through all 34 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:17.479 that riff wrap, They cut through all the overproduction, the tackiness of it, 35 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:22.680 and it's just people with talent. Plus I've gotten some tonk good recipes 36 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:25.479 off TikTok too. The only knock when it comes to a TikTok recipe is 37 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:30.560 we don't need to put cream cheese in everything. I mean, you have 38 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:34.879 people just dropping cream cheese and whatever. The lucky lucky charms and cream cheese, 39 00:02:35.319 --> 00:02:38.280 let's throw that in there. I mean, we don't need cream cheese 40 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:39.719 and everything. But it's getting better. So what I do like though, 41 00:02:39.800 --> 00:02:44.560 is that it's entirely algorithm based, and some people don't like that, but 42 00:02:44.680 --> 00:02:47.599 it shows you exactly what you're looking for without you having to search for it. 43 00:02:47.800 --> 00:02:52.439 That is exactly right, and it somehow it gets me, And like 44 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:58.439 I said, it is a great great tool for me. When I'm watching 45 00:02:58.520 --> 00:03:00.199 TV ins commercial sounds like we're doing an advertisement for TikTok. I know, 46 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:04.199 no, we're not, we're not. It's just a good party. Well, 47 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:07.639 when you work at that, when you work across the hall at has 48 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:10.560 and you know every morning somebody's doing a new story on how they're scared of 49 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:15.599 TikTok, you kind of it's nice to sit amongst people who get it and 50 00:03:15.719 --> 00:03:17.960 that enjoy it. So anyway you get a chance to see it. So 51 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:20.680 it's a lot of fun. So we're going to talk about a guy who 52 00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:23.439 had discovered on TikTok. He's a lot of fun in the studio. Now 53 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:29.280 on the big TV, I am currently enjoying Spain and Italy. It is 54 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:32.360 nil nil at the forty fifth minute. Is all part of the Euro And 55 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:38.280 as we've been talking on HS in the morning, TV ratings for Euro twenty 56 00:03:38.360 --> 00:03:42.759 twenty four have been through the roof here in the United States, people cannot 57 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:46.159 get enough of this tournament. And we'll talk more with Jeff Milby about that 58 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:47.639 coming up the bottom of the hour. But John is long and I know 59 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:52.639 John, We've got Copa America is starting up tonight. The Stars and Stripes 60 00:03:52.759 --> 00:03:54.159 Team USA will be taking part in that. They're going to play I believe 61 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:58.400 is it's Saturday. I think it's Sunday. It could be run to play 62 00:03:58.439 --> 00:04:01.280 Bolivia. They're in a group with Bolivia, Panama and Uruguay. Uruguay, 63 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:05.159 Uruguay. I know it can be pronounced yeah, millions of ways. But 64 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:10.319 this is this tournament for the US specifically, is a good opportunity for them 65 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:12.759 to kind of get their feet wet with some of the big boys. You 66 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:15.519 got Argentine and Brazila obviously in this tournament, and if you can do well, 67 00:04:15.839 --> 00:04:19.399 maybe get to the semis even the finals that you're having a good run 68 00:04:19.480 --> 00:04:23.560 with it. I mean, this is this is good practice for whenever the 69 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:26.800 big stage comes to town in a few years, the World Cup, and 70 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:30.319 you have some of your greatest up and coming stars, and really they're not 71 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:32.720 even up and coming anymore. They're they're in the prime of their career. 72 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:39.399 Most of the stars of the USMNT in their early to mid twenties, and 73 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:43.959 so this is the US's opportunity to finally kind of get off the mat. 74 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:46.680 As they say, they've kind of been in soccer purgatory for the past I 75 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:50.519 don't know, fifteen to twenty years. The people are always talking about how 76 00:04:50.839 --> 00:04:54.920 they're finally ready to break out, and they've never really done that, so 77 00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:59.839 this could potentially be their first real chance to show that they're ready to compete 78 00:04:59.879 --> 00:05:02.560 with the big boys. To your point, John, they do play Bolivia 79 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:08.079 Sunday. That game will beyond from at and T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 80 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:12.199 I admit I know more about the international game than I do about Team 81 00:05:12.279 --> 00:05:15.120 USA, and I love the fact my daughter has a new boyfriend. He's 82 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:16.360 a big he's a season ticket older with lu CID, He's a big, 83 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:19.120 big soccer fan, and we're talking a little bit about this. He did 84 00:05:19.319 --> 00:05:23.000 mention and I don't know if you can speak to this, and maybe Jeff 85 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:27.199 can probably speak to it as well. He wished Team USA had a different 86 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:30.399 head coach, Yeah, Greg Berholt or he's now been their manager for a 87 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:34.920 while. I don't really there's a lot of people who have issue with him. 88 00:05:35.079 --> 00:05:39.959 I think he did fine in the most recent World Cup. There were 89 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:44.720 some decisions that were made. I don't remember all the specifics about leaving certain 90 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:47.480 players off of the last World Cup roster that I think ruffled some feathers. 91 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:50.399 I guess really, for me, it's going to come down to how they 92 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:56.160 perform in this tournament. If they completely just bleed and fall out early, 93 00:05:56.600 --> 00:06:00.240 then maybe you have some issues when you're looking ahead to I guess it's twenty 94 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:04.120 twenty six when the World Cup's come into the United States. So the jury 95 00:06:04.199 --> 00:06:08.600 for me is still out on Burholter. Okay, all right, Well that's 96 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:12.240 fair assessment. And that's why I lean on you because I love to know 97 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:15.399 more about tam I'll sit down and watch Team USA and start getting up to 98 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:17.040 speed, and of course because we'll talk about it on news radio eight forty 99 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:19.759 whs. But also I need to get more up to speed with Team USA 100 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:25.360 because I had just assumed there really wasn't a whole lot to talk about when 101 00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:28.199 it came to the Stars and Stripes this year, unlike years past. And 102 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:31.079 of course the women have just been constantly in the news when it comes to 103 00:06:31.160 --> 00:06:33.759 Team USA. So it's good to hear. It's good to hear your take 104 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:36.399 on that. And I guess we'll find out come Sunday. We'll get a 105 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:40.879 good look at do we know what Bolivia's bringing to the table. I don't 106 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:46.319 know a whole lot about Bolivia and Panama. They play pretty frequently in Conker 107 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:48.240 CAF, so that's somebody I know. They should take care of it. 108 00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:51.879 They honestly, they're probably they shouldn't have any issue coming out of the group 109 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:55.319 that they're in. They should be at least in the top two, with 110 00:06:55.600 --> 00:07:00.240 Uruguay and themselves obviously being the two heavy hitters out of that group. So 111 00:07:00.519 --> 00:07:03.000 okay. See and one other last note about the roster that's I feel like 112 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:09.279 it's pretty interesting. There's only three players on this roster of twenty six that 113 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:15.199 are from clubs in the United States, So it shows that these international clubs 114 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:18.680 are valuing the USA talent, which even though it would be great to have 115 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:27.240 the MLS be the primary soccer you know league, even it will never be 116 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.560 that. It's always going to be in England and Germany and Italy that kind 117 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:34.839 of stuff. But the fact that those clubs overseas want the US talent on 118 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:40.800 their squads, that shows how far soccer has come, at least with the 119 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:43.639 development of the players in this day and age. I feel like, have 120 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:46.759 you had a chance to see the series Welcome to wrexim. I believe this 121 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:49.839 is the third season now, No, I haven't seen that. It is 122 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:54.199 amazing. I will say this and Jeff Noby and I talked a little bit 123 00:07:54.240 --> 00:08:00.279 about it before in our Footy Talk podcast. This is in its third season. 124 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:03.319 Of course it's Rob mclaney. If you if you've ever seen Always Sunny 125 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:05.720 in Philadelphia, he's big on on that. And of course Ryan Reynolds, 126 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:09.519 everybody knows him, he's you know, the famous actor. Well, they 127 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:15.240 went in and bought struggling Wrexham and if anything, I haven't seen the latter 128 00:08:15.319 --> 00:08:18.079 seasons because I feel like I got my phill in a positive way from the 129 00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:24.319 first season. And they went in and bought a club that literally was on 130 00:08:24.439 --> 00:08:28.160 its last legs. I mean, the stadium was a dump. The fans, 131 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:31.279 you know, they had the glory days. The fans just didn't care 132 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:33.960 anymore, you were. I mean, it was like it was like real 133 00:08:33.000 --> 00:08:37.200 life Ted Lasso almost, yes, and that's a great way to put it. 134 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:39.919 It was almost like Major League and they were one step away. Only 135 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:43.360 at least Major League had Randy Quaid and at the time the Cleveland Indian fans 136 00:08:43.399 --> 00:08:46.840 sitting out there in the midst of nobody. Wrexham didn't even have that. 137 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:50.639 There was nobody there. They came in and it was it was a series 138 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:54.720 that I couldn't turn off, and I started watching. It was on when 139 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:56.279 I was on the treadmill, and I look forward to getting on the treadmill 140 00:08:56.320 --> 00:09:01.120 because I wanted to watch another episode. And you watch them grow the game. 141 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:03.679 Not only did you watch them grow the game, but if you don't 142 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:09.080 know soccer, what Ryan Reynolds and mclaney did extremely well in that series, 143 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:15.279 they taught you the game. They because they had to understand it. Mcaleney 144 00:09:15.320 --> 00:09:16.919 said, I've got to learn it. I wasn't a big soccer guy before 145 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:22.000 we jumped in this venture, even to the point where they did a whole 146 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:28.799 episode on hooganism and how as wrong as it is on every level, and 147 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:31.639 they admitted it's wrong, and soccer fans admit they're wrong. It's a fabric 148 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:37.879 of the game and it has a strong history with the game. They did 149 00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:43.320 one episode where people would they showed literally where people will go out and absolutely 150 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:46.480 look for trouble you fall and one in two camps you're either going to the 151 00:09:46.519 --> 00:09:50.200 game as a fan and you're going or you're going looking for trouble. And 152 00:09:50.279 --> 00:09:52.159 you know, it's almost like a sport. It's just just like which side 153 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:54.720 do you sit? On. But what they did was they taught you the 154 00:09:54.799 --> 00:10:00.000 game, but you also developed an appreciation for it. There were many times 155 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:03.000 they said and they go, what are we doing? Are we doing the 156 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:07.000 right thing? And for guys like Ryan Reynolds and to some degree mclaney, 157 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:11.320 money was no object. So it wasn't like, oh my god, we're 158 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:16.000 gonna lose all this money. They were more concerned with letting down an entire 159 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:20.240 city. Like the pressure these two guys felt because when they first arrived, 160 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:22.519 like this is crazy, what are you doing in this town. You're never 161 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:24.000 gonna save this town. You know, who are you? To come in 162 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:28.120 from the outside, it'd be like somebody coming in here and trying to tell 163 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:31.440 you, Hey, we're gonna save Kentucky basketball, We're gonna save Louisville basketball, 164 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:35.840 and people going, who are you? But they had to and the 165 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:39.440 pressures they had to deal with and overcome, and so long story short, 166 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:45.080 now into the third season, they relegated themselves up to the next few levels. 167 00:10:45.159 --> 00:10:48.440 To be honest with you, and are clearly now a successful team. 168 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:52.159 And speaking of that, you're a soccer guy, so you get this, 169 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:56.360 And I ask a lot of soccer fans this question. Should we have relegation 170 00:10:56.120 --> 00:11:01.919 in sport here. That's so I've gone back and forth on this. I 171 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:05.440 think in an ideal world, that's how it always has been. I think 172 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:13.440 that would be perfect. But with the way that most Americans consume every other 173 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:18.360 professional sport. If let's just take FC Cincinnati for example, since they were 174 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:22.759 new in the MLS a few years ago, they were horrible. If their 175 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:26.840 fan base knew them as only an MLS team, they weren't paying attention to 176 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:33.399 them as the USL franchise beforehand, and all of a sudden they jump back 177 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:35.639 down to the lower league. I feel like people are just gonna hop off 178 00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:41.360 the bandwagon, and because that's what this country is used to. I can't 179 00:11:41.399 --> 00:11:46.039 be wrong about that. But I think the reason pro ral works so well 180 00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:50.320 overseas because that's all they know and that's part of the fun of those leagues. 181 00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:54.240 People around here would hate that, I agree, aren't used to soccer. 182 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:56.679 I would agree because and I'm finding out, yes, And when I 183 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:01.440 go to low city games, I talk with random fans that I know, 184 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:05.039 some people I know through other people, and being a hockey fan myself. 185 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:09.159 We share stories on how we get the same response from people. It's almost 186 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:15.039 like what you don't know scares you. And there's this big pushback on hockey 187 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:16.559 every year. And when I tell it to soccer fans, go, we 188 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:18.919 hear it all the time. We hear it all the time. In fact, 189 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:24.519 was I was sitting at a Bats game one time and I was sitting 190 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:30.279 with a big Bats fan and there was a Low City fan that was there, 191 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:33.480 and they were there as a guest to somebody else, and the fan 192 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:35.679 actually said to him they we're having a nice conversation, very cordial conversation. 193 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:39.159 He goes the Bats fan system, don't take this personally, but we want 194 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:43.759 our field back, and to which the Lui City fan turned around and said, 195 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:48.679 we'd like our own field. So it was it was kind of like, 196 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:52.679 so now now when you separate yourself from that conversation. I just thought 197 00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:56.799 about this when I went home the other day from the studio. If you're 198 00:12:56.840 --> 00:13:01.279 coming over the bridge in Louisville, that beautiful bridge, not only do you 199 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:05.159 see a wonderful facility like Slugger Field, but then you go down and you 200 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:09.759 see Lynn Family Stadium, which is just gorgeous on every level. I mean, 201 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:13.919 it's a good problem to have so there's room for both fan bases in 202 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:18.679 town. There's room for both people here. And the way that Louisville is 203 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:24.480 growing, as we mentioned, it's going to be a home base city. 204 00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:28.639 And the times lou City has appeared on national TV. They had the high 205 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:31.039 new game last weekend against Gotham. You know, they're on National TV, 206 00:13:31.399 --> 00:13:35.480 and it looks great. Some of the shots that CBS would do were the 207 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:41.919 drone shots with the steeples of Saints Saint Joseph in the background, and then 208 00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:46.480 you have you have Lynn Family Stadium. It's just a beautiful setting. So 209 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:52.440 why you would be against a team like lou City being here alongside the Louisville 210 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:56.279 Bats is beyond me. I don't know why you would you would hate that 211 00:13:56.399 --> 00:14:00.519 for this city, But there are just some people that you know, hockey 212 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:03.120 evokes, you know, the little trigger point. Soccer definitely evokes it. 213 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:07.559 But you look at all the fans and now that we have, in fact, 214 00:14:07.879 --> 00:14:11.120 what's his name last night who scored for lou City. His name escapes 215 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:13.399 me down and I'll get it here. I'll get his sound bite and call 216 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:20.240 it up. He's an Eetown grad and he graduated from Etown and worked his 217 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:24.960 way up here and used to go to the games and watch him as a 218 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:28.320 fan and has now worked his way here and is so appreciative of what lou 219 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:31.840 City's done for him. So you know, there's there's room for everybody in 220 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:35.600 this town and we can increase. And what I love the most though, 221 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:41.519 is just the explosion of women's soccer and and how good I'll never forget when 222 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:46.679 Meghan Rapino came out and she was the devil. You might as well slap 223 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:48.360 the horns on her. And you know what, though, when it's all 224 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:56.000 said and done, Meghan Rapino is responsible for probably the success of the WNBA 225 00:14:56.159 --> 00:15:00.559 right now, which is huge. And by the way, the numbers on 226 00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:05.000 the WNBA, and you keep them in perspective, they're not getting the thirteen 227 00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:07.720 million now they got for the NBA finals, but this was one of the 228 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:13.080 lowest rated NBA finals in a long time. Meanwhile, the women still are 229 00:15:13.159 --> 00:15:18.120 breaking records that that they've established. And you know, you can get on 230 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:22.039 Meghan Mpino all you want. Politically, you might not see eye high with 231 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:24.679 her. I don't fault you for that. Everybody differs in political views, 232 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:28.559 but I think she in large part has a lot to do with bringing women 233 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:33.039 to the forefront when it comes to sport, and I think that's awesome on 234 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:37.279 every level. By the way, the player I was telling you about who 235 00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:41.320 scored the goal was Jensen Wilson for lou City. He's an e Town grad 236 00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:46.639 and he had this to say last night when talking about scoring his goal for 237 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:48.720 lou City. Well, it's everything. I mean, every footballer wants to 238 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:52.120 play. It's always a privilege to put on this jersey and I can say 239 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:56.759 for every person on this team they have the same feeling. So how cool 240 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:02.360 is that that you know something as organic is and it's not just a Louisville 241 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:06.080 thing. I mean we're talking Etown. My man came up from Etown and 242 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:08.919 now he plays for LUs City and Danny Cruz is just the whole organization is 243 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:11.320 just growing from within. And Jeff Melby can speak more to that when we 244 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:15.039 talk later. But to your point, John, I just think when you 245 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:19.120 get events like the euro that's going on now, you get Copa America, 246 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:25.559 you get the success of the women, it's amazing, and then you transit 247 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:26.919 I don't know if you watched any of the swimming trials, those are a 248 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:30.399 big hit in our house. We like to watch those. You know, 249 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:33.720 we'll get somebody like Katie Ledecki. And you know in the factory that Indiana 250 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:37.519 Universities Lily King. That's right, yeah, I mean Indiana's just I didn't 251 00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:42.200 realize this. Indiana just put another diver into the Olympics. They've had i 252 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:47.679 U has had a diver in the Olympics every Olympics since nineteen fifty four. 253 00:16:47.879 --> 00:16:49.120 Oh wow, nineteen fifty four, nineteen sixty four, one of the two. 254 00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:52.840 But I use had that in there. And these are female athletes. 255 00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:56.879 And I'm not here to try to say any one gender is better than the 256 00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:02.360 other. There's room for everybody to sit the table. But clearly Megan Rapino 257 00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:04.720 was onto something when she goes, hey, look, we're playing just as 258 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:11.000 hard. We're giving our due diligence. And by the way, for those 259 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:15.599 of you who don't watch the WNBA, you want to watch a physical game. 260 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:18.559 And let's be honest, the NBA had a flopping problem not too long 261 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:22.079 ago. They probably have rectified that by now. I think they got that 262 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:29.200 under control. Those women are scrapping and they're playing hard, and you can 263 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:32.720 call it. Nobody's ever happy Let's be honest, nobody's ever happy in sports. 264 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:36.200 You could have women when they scrap like they do in the WNBA, 265 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:38.359 people have said, oh, they play too physical, they play too physical. 266 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:41.200 Well, if they don't play physical, then they're saying they don't play 267 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:44.640 physical enough. That just happens in sports. I have one issue with it, 268 00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:45.839 though, like, there's nothing wrong with the physicality. Scott, you'd 269 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:49.799 probably agree with this when I'm ready to say, I'm very annoyed with all 270 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:56.200 of the whining from oh, absolutely absolutely. Angel Duty specifically is trying to 271 00:17:56.279 --> 00:18:00.200 play this role as the villain to Caitlin Clarkin. And that's fine, and 272 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:03.839 she's trying to build her own brand and they're you know, she can do 273 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:07.799 whatever she wants with that, but for it to be built on this this, 274 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:11.119 I don't even know what else to say it other than just whining. 275 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:18.160 It's creating. And I know they say all press is good press, but 276 00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:22.240 I think there comes a point where this just runs out of steam for her 277 00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:25.759 and she needs to do something other than just complain about the attention being on 278 00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:30.720 Caitlin Clark and actually do something for herself and not just be Caitlin Clark's villain. 279 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:33.559 You're right, And oh man, I wish it had brought that up 280 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:36.680 earlier too, because I had and I had to go see if I still 281 00:18:36.680 --> 00:18:37.920 had the soundbites. I don't know if you had a chance to hear Gino 282 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:41.720 ari Ema when he was on with with Dan Patrick had heard some of that 283 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:45.359 good stuff. I mean, is he was. He was spot on everything 284 00:18:45.400 --> 00:18:49.920 he said. He was spot on when it came to Caitlyn Clark and she's 285 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:55.119 gonna be good, but you just have to mature. And and Gino is 286 00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:59.440 very poigned on saying the big reason why the women are having success now and 287 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:00.799 the men are too, but the women, let's fay start having a little 288 00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:06.279 bit more is because they stick around. They're sticking around to play for these 289 00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:12.319 schools and you can develop brand names. So we'll see either way we've got. 290 00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:15.759 We got on this because it's a nice segue into our conversation we'll have 291 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:21.400 with Jeff Milby coming up. But it's just soccer has been very good to 292 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:26.200 Louisville, and it doesn't have to be just baseball, basketball and horses. 293 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:30.200 We can do more in this town and there's room for everybody to sit at 294 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:33.279 the table. Last I checked when you have more sports in your town, 295 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:37.160 that means more people are dropping in. We just had the NCAA Men's Soccer 296 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:41.920 Championships here, and I know because I was walking around downtown after I'd leave 297 00:19:41.960 --> 00:19:47.319 on a Saturday, and you saw a ton of Clemson fans here and they 298 00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:49.279 weren't here because they wanted to watch a football game, you know. So 299 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:52.960 these are more people that were getting into town. These are more people that 300 00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:55.839 are spending money. These are more people that are going home with a positive 301 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:59.960 impression. I haven't met one person that is walked away from Lynn family STI 302 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:03.119 I'm saying, I'm never gonna do that again. I'm never gonna go to 303 00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:06.160 that place. Was horrible. That place is a dump. Nobody's ever said 304 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:10.680 that. Nobody's ever said that about Slugger Field. I wish they'd give me 305 00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:15.720 the premium beer window a little bit bigger, just saying Greg gall yet wish 306 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:17.960 would do that. No, I'm just kidding, But we're blessed. Oh 307 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:19.640 and did you see too with slugger I just read the article today. They're 308 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:23.799 getting rid of the carousel at Slugger Field. Really. Yeah, that's a 309 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:26.519 shame, it's a relic. Yeah, they're gonna auction off the horses. 310 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:30.880 You can grab the horse's minimum eight hundred dollars bid. But the upkeep cuss 311 00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:33.799 has just just become too much. Glutam totally makes sense. All right. 312 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:36.480 Hey, he's John Olden, I'm Scott fitzgerw We're gonna take a quick break 313 00:20:36.519 --> 00:20:37.880 when we come back. Jeff Milby's gonna join us after the bottom of the 314 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:41.440 hour. Talk a little footy, then we're gonna talk some helmets coming up 315 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:47.359 at five o'clock back after this on Sports Talk seven ninety. Long time to 316 00:20:47.400 --> 00:20:48.440 stand over the ball for Flint and a long time to think about it. 317 00:20:48.599 --> 00:20:52.799 Right now, she has not moved. He blows his whistle. Here's Taylor 318 00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:56.200 Flint. She goes for goal and scores to the goalkeeper's left. Harrat Cheech 319 00:20:56.279 --> 00:21:03.119 gets the wrong way and Flint it into the back corner from the penalty spot 320 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:07.759 and racing Louisville a goal back. In this game, I think we pressed 321 00:21:07.799 --> 00:21:10.200 well. I think we had some really good opportunities off the press, which 322 00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:14.000 was impressive in the second half, turn them over quite a bit in their 323 00:21:14.039 --> 00:21:17.400 defensive third, which was great for us. So I think it's just finishing 324 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:21.279 those opportunities and we get them, but creating those chances is a positive note 325 00:21:21.319 --> 00:21:25.680 for sure. That is Lauren Malay and of course the voice of Racing Louisville 326 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:29.119 and lou City, the great Jeff Milby. I'm Scott Fitzgerald. He is 327 00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:33.720 John Alden. You're listening to Sportstock seven ninety Nick Coffee is on vacation and 328 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:37.680 I'm sitting in for the next couple of days talking all things sports. And 329 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:40.480 of course you heard John Alden I talking a little bit there, but my 330 00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:44.000 man Jeff Milby is with us. Jeff was late night last night, brother, 331 00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:48.000 great call. By the way, Hey, I appreciate that. And 332 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:52.279 what the production value? You like that high level stuff on this show right 333 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:56.279 now? Yeah, it was a late night last night. That's what happens 334 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.680 when Racing Louisville heads onto the West coast out in LA where they took on 335 00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:04.119 a City last night. A thriller of a game, just entertainment from start 336 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:07.440 to finish. You couldn't take your eyes off of it. Huge, huge 337 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:11.079 entertainment value. But unfortunately Racing Louislle came up a little bit short last night 338 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:15.119 against Angel City. But just what a fun game that was. It was 339 00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:19.400 Jeff Fan to your point, Racing Louisville is still occupying that eighth and all 340 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:23.599 important final spot for the postseason, and the Ladies had it. Where did 341 00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:26.519 things go wrong last night? Besides I mean they gave up the lake goal. 342 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:30.720 Where was the breakdown there? Well, let me start here. Bigger 343 00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:36.440 picture, Scott, is that one moment last night, it struck me watching 344 00:22:36.519 --> 00:22:41.559 that game, calling that game that the NWSL. This is something that other 345 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:44.279 people have said, and I've probably said it before, but for whatever even 346 00:22:44.440 --> 00:22:47.799 for whatever reason, last night, it just really hit home for me that 347 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:52.400 the NWSL is I think the most competitive league of any sport that we watch. 348 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:56.319 Yeah, you know, go wherever you want, college football, college 349 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:00.960 basketball, the major the three major sports, NBA, NFL, MLB. 350 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:06.799 I think there is more parody, more competition in the NWSL than any other 351 00:23:06.839 --> 00:23:10.920 sport that I can think of, because any given nights, the margins are 352 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:15.680 razor thin. Any given night, any given game, anybody can show up 353 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:18.759 and beat the other team. In this league. There's just so much talent 354 00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:22.759 across the board. It's still probably could afford to continue to expand a few 355 00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:27.839 more years to spread that talent out a little bit, but right now every 356 00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:32.720 team is just so competitive with each other. And last night the great example 357 00:23:32.759 --> 00:23:34.559 of what I'm talking about. I mean, it's a razor thin margin that 358 00:23:34.599 --> 00:23:37.119 saw Racing Louis will go down and defeat. It was in the eighty fifth 359 00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:41.720 minute or so, just in a flash, Angel City went down the field 360 00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:47.880 from a goalkick of memory serves and took just a couple of passes to play 361 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:51.839 in Sydney. LaRue, who is one of the veteran stars of this league, 362 00:23:51.880 --> 00:23:55.559 played with the women's national team for the US for many, many years. 363 00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:59.440 Scored over thirty goals with the women's national team in her career. She's 364 00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:00.839 in the later ages of thirty four years of age, it was still a 365 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:04.720 very dangerous player and she was in on goal one on them with Katie Lund 366 00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:08.440 after a great threw ball from Melissa Thompson. I believe it was, and 367 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:11.160 she didn't make any mistake, just put it past her. And it's one 368 00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:15.559 of those moments where even just for a second, just for a split second, 369 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:18.799 if you as a defender, as a defense as a team, click 370 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:21.680 off, turn off, fall asleep, whatever term you want to use, 371 00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:26.839 just stop, you know, playing at the highest level even for a moment. 372 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:29.920 Teams in the NAUSL will make you pay, and that was the case 373 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:32.319 last night for Angels City with that goal. It was a great effort by 374 00:24:32.359 --> 00:24:34.839 Racing Louisville to get back into the game. They trailed two goals to none 375 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:37.640 early in the game, got back into it, tied at at to too 376 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:41.519 first long stretches in the second half, they were the better team, looked 377 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:45.680 like they could have easily won the game or certainly come out of there with 378 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:48.640 a result, But that's just not the way that the game played out. 379 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:52.720 And I think last night just is symbolic of what this league is. In 380 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:57.720 the NWSL, just so competitive. Every single moment in the game matters. 381 00:24:57.799 --> 00:25:02.279 You can't turn off even for a second because the other teams will make you 382 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:04.000 pay. You know, we're talking with Jeff Melby, had to call last 383 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:08.119 night of Racing Louisville on Talk radio ten to eighty WKJAK. Second straight, 384 00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:12.039 by the way, nationally televised game for Racing Louisville. Jeff looking at some 385 00:25:12.119 --> 00:25:17.839 of the statistics in the NWUSL now Racing top five in goals, shots on 386 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:22.559 target, and shots pretty impressive for this squad. Can they can they maintain 387 00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:26.039 this and at least at least sneak under the radar and get into the postseason 388 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:30.440 this year. Not just the second straight nationally televised game. By the way, 389 00:25:30.519 --> 00:25:33.759 it'll be three straight. Oh that's turn home next week, or I 390 00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:36.000 beg your pardon, so it'll be three out of four. You're going to 391 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:38.000 correct myself. They go to Seattle this weekend, but next week when they're 392 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:41.799 at home against Bay the team from the Bay area of San Jose, that's 393 00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:45.400 game going to be a game on ESPN as well, So lots of national 394 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:51.000 TV exposure this month for Racing Louisville. To answer your question, I think 395 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:55.200 yes. I think yes. They have the talent on this team to continue 396 00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:57.160 to be a high scoring team and continue to be a team that will threaten 397 00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:03.039 the opponent's goal for all ninety minutes. Talk about the rookies that have emerged 398 00:26:03.079 --> 00:26:04.960 been one of the big storylines this year. Ms Sars and Raylan Turner. 399 00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:08.920 We saw them both off the bench last night. But Sears in particular is 400 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:12.599 a real threat, especially in a situation like she was last night. We've 401 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:17.440 seen her from the starting position play really well, but she has so much 402 00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:22.119 speed, so much dynamism. She is an absolute weapon out wide for Racing 403 00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:26.640 Louisville. Give her the ball even in midfield and she can dribble pass defenders, 404 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:27.319 get to the in line, get into the box, and need to 405 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:32.720 create a scoring opportunity for herself or for her teammates. She's just one example. 406 00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:37.160 Obviously, Racing Louisville fans and hopefully by now casual Louisville sports fans know 407 00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:41.599 the name Savannah de Mello and how talented she is from a goal scoring perspective. 408 00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:44.920 She's the first Racing Louisville player, by the way, earlier this month 409 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:48.000 to score in three consecutive games. That streak was snapped and the lost last 410 00:26:48.039 --> 00:26:52.359 week to Gotham. But she's playing really, really well right now. I 411 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:56.640 think the one question, the one area where Racing Louisville maybe could improve and 412 00:26:56.759 --> 00:27:00.119 maybe hasn't found an answer yet, is that of all places, the center 413 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:06.640 forward position for a team that's scoring goals pretty well at the center forward position, 414 00:27:07.160 --> 00:27:10.720 that is one of the question marks right now. Whether it's a Lexivar 415 00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:14.720 who's been starting quite a bit, whether it's Raylan Turner, the rookie who 416 00:27:14.799 --> 00:27:17.200 maybe has hit a little bit of a rookie wall right now, that's still 417 00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:21.160 a spot where they haven't quite found the answers. But there's lots of talent 418 00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:23.400 on this team. I think they can continue to be a high scoring team 419 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:27.839 relative to other squads. And they're also pretty stout defensively too, right in 420 00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:33.160 the middle of the pack in terms of those defensive statistics as well. So 421 00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:37.160 racing Louisville in a decent position. But like you mentioned, back to back 422 00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:40.279 losses for them, they are in the playoffs, still in eighth place, 423 00:27:40.880 --> 00:27:44.720 just barely hanging on to that final playoff spot. They'll need to get a 424 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:48.839 result on Sunday. Their next game coming up on Sunday, they travel up 425 00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:52.599 to Seattle to take on the Seattle Rain And that team is a brand new 426 00:27:52.680 --> 00:27:55.400 team this year in a lot of ways. Rose Levell, one of the 427 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:59.000 women's national team stars for the US, moved on in the off season in 428 00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:02.799 free agency, went to New Jersey, New York Gotham, and everybody will 429 00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:07.000 know the name Megan Rapino. She retired in the offseason. So it's a 430 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:10.680 new look Seattle team and they have been struggling mightily this year. They're down 431 00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:14.640 in thirteenth place. That's second from the bottom in the standings. A club 432 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:18.680 and a team with big pedigree, big expectation, a winning tradition over the 433 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:22.480 years, but not living up to that standard this year. And for Racing 434 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:27.480 Louisville to have them on the road on Sunday the way that Seattle is playing 435 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:32.319 to start this season, to me, that is an incredibly winnable game for 436 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:34.880 Racing Louisville on Sunday, despite it being on the road, and if Racing 437 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:40.960 wants to prove themselves to be a legitimate playoff contender this year in the NWSL, 438 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:42.920 I think it's the kind of game that they have to win or at 439 00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:47.079 the very least get a result in, get a point in with a tie, 440 00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:51.359 but I think have to win on Sunday against Seattle. Staying with the 441 00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:53.279 ladies, Jeffrey before we switch over to the men again, talking with Jeff 442 00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:56.799 Milby, radio voice of Racing Louisville, had to call last night for Racing's 443 00:28:56.839 --> 00:29:02.039 game out West against Angels City Women. They have a new coach, Emma 444 00:29:02.119 --> 00:29:03.880 Hayes. As they get ready to play, they're friendly with Mexico. They're 445 00:29:03.880 --> 00:29:08.519 going to take on Mexico, and I want to say, is it Croatia, 446 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:12.440 who they play in their second friendly before they get going in the Olympics 447 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:15.480 in the group stage on July twenty fifth. July thirteenth, by the way, 448 00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:18.880 at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey, is their game against Mexico. 449 00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:23.039 Emma Hayes. I had a chance to listen to her speak before women's national 450 00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:26.680 team friendly a couple weeks ago. I like her, is she can she 451 00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:32.599 back up the talk? It's Costa Rica by the way, Costa Rica, 452 00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:36.000 thanks you. Yeah, Conko Rica one of those other countries with the C 453 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:38.720 name coming up in there. They're two friendlies again, like you said, 454 00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:44.240 the final two tune ups, the final two tests they have before going off 455 00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:48.119 to the Olympics later on this summer against Mexico and Costa Rica. Yeah, 456 00:29:48.440 --> 00:29:52.759 Hayes, look the question for her. There are a couple of questions around 457 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:56.680 her coming to the US women's national team. One, can she adjust to 458 00:29:56.799 --> 00:30:02.160 the international game. She's been a coach at the club level throughout her career, 459 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:06.279 most notably and most recently with Chelsea in London and England, one of 460 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:11.960 the premier teams in both the men's and women's soccer scene. Over in England, 461 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:14.319 they're great on the women's side, just as they are on the men's 462 00:30:14.359 --> 00:30:18.559 side, and she coached them most recently, won the title with them in 463 00:30:18.599 --> 00:30:21.880 England this year before joining the United States as the head coach. So that's 464 00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:23.559 a different game, right, a different adjustment. At the club level, 465 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:27.160 you've got a long time to build your team, build your style of play, 466 00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:32.279 get to know your players, implement the kind of tactics x's and o's 467 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:34.319 that you want to put in. You have an entire season over you know, 468 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:37.759 eight nine to ten to eleven months over the course of the year to 469 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:40.960 develop your team in the way that you want to see them play. On 470 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:45.079 the international side, it's much shorter. You get these little windows of maybe 471 00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:48.759 two or three games every couple of months building up to a big international tournament 472 00:30:48.839 --> 00:30:52.480 like we have with the Olympics on the women's side this summer. So can 473 00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:56.640 she adjust, can she implement the style of play that she wants to have 474 00:30:56.319 --> 00:31:03.240 in little short bursts and in in a more concentrated form. That's a challenge 475 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:06.160 for any coach going to the international level, So that'll be a test for 476 00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:08.759 her. And then also, you know, frankly, coming to the United 477 00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:12.119 States is a different kind of style of play in the United States and the 478 00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:17.400 players that she will have available to her with the national team. Women's women's 479 00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:22.960 national team player pool are accustomed to a different style. American soccer around the 480 00:31:22.039 --> 00:31:26.960 world, especially on the women's side, is recognized as a very athletic and 481 00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:30.039 very transitional game. That's the way the NWSL plays, and that's the way 482 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:34.039 the women's national team plays, at least has historically over the years. Europe 483 00:31:34.119 --> 00:31:38.680 is a much more skillful, possession style. They rely less on their physicality, 484 00:31:38.839 --> 00:31:42.480 rely less on their athleticism. So will Emma Hayes be able to adjust 485 00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:47.480 in that regard with the player pool that she has on the women's national team. 486 00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:49.880 Those are the two big questions for me. She's got the track record 487 00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:55.559 and the reputation to believe that she'll to lead you to believe that she'll be 488 00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:57.839 successful with the US women's national team. It was a home run higher when 489 00:31:57.880 --> 00:32:04.559 they announced it several months back, so I think it's it's a great hire 490 00:32:04.599 --> 00:32:07.119 for the US. I would expect that they will continue to be hugely successful, 491 00:32:07.160 --> 00:32:09.519 including the summer at the Olympics, but we'll see. Those are the 492 00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:14.160 two bid questions I have bet in hate Jeff Milby joining us. He is, 493 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:16.400 of course radio voice of a lou City and racing Louisville had the call 494 00:32:16.519 --> 00:32:20.799 last night at Angel City. And now let's switch over to the gentleman Jeff, 495 00:32:20.920 --> 00:32:23.119 and well, this guy had a night last night. It's a Wilson 496 00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:32.200 pointing out front, Wilson Bullsessa cross Gonsales in side away from wider Wilson Johnson, 497 00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:37.680 Wilson a long range effort that puts Louisville ahead on the road. Now, 498 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:40.920 I affectionately say this to mister Milby. We'd love to use his call 499 00:32:42.119 --> 00:32:45.839 of that goal, but he is with the competition and we're prevented from using 500 00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:49.279 that. So that is, of course, Mike Watts, the voice said, 501 00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:51.480 even for an Ohio guy, he's not bad. I joke with him 502 00:32:51.480 --> 00:32:55.920 about that all the time. But Jensen Wilson, Jeff, the young man 503 00:32:57.000 --> 00:33:00.200 from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, with the goal last night. And that's all they 504 00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:04.000 need is they get to win. Yeah, it was all they needed is 505 00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:07.519 they got to win up at Pittsburgh against the River Hounds before a really great 506 00:33:07.519 --> 00:33:10.119 crowd. We should point out, by the way, great atmosphere of Pittsburgh 507 00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:13.200 last night. They looked like they had a full house. Their stadium, 508 00:33:13.240 --> 00:33:15.759 High March Stadium seats about five thousand fans, and I think it was pretty 509 00:33:15.799 --> 00:33:19.880 much a full house. Didn't quite see the attendance number in the end, 510 00:33:20.519 --> 00:33:22.319 but a good atmosphere for that game last night, and a difficult opponent for 511 00:33:22.640 --> 00:33:28.000 Louisville City to play against last two times they traveled up to face the River 512 00:33:28.119 --> 00:33:30.759 Hounds. It ended scoreless between Louisville City and Pittsburgh. Bob Lily, the 513 00:33:30.799 --> 00:33:37.240 Pittsburgh head coach, a legendary figure in the USL scene. He is typically 514 00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:40.599 a very defensive minded coach. He's a guy that likes to play low scoring. 515 00:33:40.599 --> 00:33:45.319 He's the Tony Bennett of soccer. I'll say that, like Uba basketball, 516 00:33:45.400 --> 00:33:47.799 the Tony bel socer, Bob Lily tries to keep the game low scoring. 517 00:33:47.880 --> 00:33:51.119 Wants to keep you off the board as much as he can. And 518 00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:52.240 that's kind of the way the game played out a little bit last night. 519 00:33:52.279 --> 00:33:57.440 There were relatively few scoring chances, but Jansen Wilson took his chance, and 520 00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:00.599 boy did he take his chance. I hit from this, it's about twenty 521 00:34:00.599 --> 00:34:04.279 two yards away with his right foot, smashed the ball, hit a really 522 00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:07.239 well great contact to the goalkeepers left into the bottom corner. And what a 523 00:34:07.280 --> 00:34:12.719 story this kid is you mentioned a native of e Town. Elizabethtown, played 524 00:34:12.760 --> 00:34:16.239 in college at UK briefly, then transferred to Belmont to finish out his college 525 00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:21.400 career, where he was an All Missouri Valley Conference type player for them over 526 00:34:21.400 --> 00:34:24.840 the last two seasons of his college career. Had trained with Louisville City of 527 00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:29.119 the last couple of seasons as a local kid, had the opportunity to get 528 00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:32.559 that kind of experience, and then this year was signed and was away under 529 00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:37.280 the radar signing. They announced the signing midway through the preseason. It was 530 00:34:37.360 --> 00:34:38.599 kind of like a whole all. They signed some kid out of college, 531 00:34:38.639 --> 00:34:42.159 local kid. He'll fill out the roster, he'll take up a roster spot, 532 00:34:42.239 --> 00:34:44.960 maybe take some minutes, but he's been an impact player from the start. 533 00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:49.719 He's been one of the bright surprises or at least unexpected players who's made 534 00:34:49.719 --> 00:34:53.599 a big impact on this first place season for Louisville City so far. That 535 00:34:53.760 --> 00:34:58.239 was his third goal of the year last night. He's been a reasonably regular 536 00:34:58.280 --> 00:35:00.119 starter, splitting time there with Aiden mcsah, the right wing back, but 537 00:35:00.199 --> 00:35:05.079 he started I would say about half the games now of memory. Serves been 538 00:35:05.119 --> 00:35:08.119 a really impactful player for Louisville City, and it's just such a cool story. 539 00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:10.159 It's one of those stories that we will continue to get You and I 540 00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:14.880 talk about it all the time about the academy with Louisville City being connected to 541 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:19.880 the community, having young players from the local area come up through and join 542 00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:23.519 this senior team and turned professional with Louisville City. Jenson Wilson's not an academy 543 00:35:23.599 --> 00:35:27.159 kid, but he's still a local kid, right. He's fright Town, 544 00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:30.719 just down the road. He surely grew upcoming to Louisville City games. Now 545 00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:32.199 here in year ten. We can say that about some of the guys joining 546 00:35:32.239 --> 00:35:36.320 the team right that they grew up watching Louisville City because they've been around now 547 00:35:36.599 --> 00:35:39.719 for those ten years. So it's just a great story to have this kid 548 00:35:39.880 --> 00:35:45.559 from the local area who competed locally, growing up playing for the local team 549 00:35:45.639 --> 00:35:49.880 Louisville City and playing really well as well. He's a dynamic player, tons 550 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:53.199 of speed, tons of creativity, and very confident. Very confident for a 551 00:35:53.239 --> 00:35:58.920 guy that maybe wasn't highly regarded coming out of college, wasn't harold it wasn't 552 00:35:59.039 --> 00:36:01.280 a big signing for Louisville City in the preseason, but came in, won 553 00:36:01.400 --> 00:36:06.239 his spot, competed, earned playing time, and has taken advantage of that 554 00:36:06.280 --> 00:36:08.119 playing time. And he might well have a bright future long term. This 555 00:36:08.280 --> 00:36:12.079 is his first year as a pro, you know, a couple of years 556 00:36:12.119 --> 00:36:14.360 down the line, if he continues to grow and develop, he might be 557 00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:19.039 able to move upward, you know, into MLS or elsewhere in the future. 558 00:36:19.119 --> 00:36:21.599 But right now, I think Louisville City is really thrilled to have him, 559 00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:24.360 and it seems like just based on his interviews and based on watching men 560 00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:27.920 on the field, seems like he's thrilled to be here and being thrilled to 561 00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:30.360 play with Louisville City at such a high level. So yeah, he was 562 00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:34.320 the He was the winner last night. Scored the winner last night. And 563 00:36:34.679 --> 00:36:38.039 one of the great subplots of this Louisville City season has been the emergence of 564 00:36:38.119 --> 00:36:43.760 Janson Wilson talking with Jeff Milby radio Voice of lou City and racing Louisville last 565 00:36:43.840 --> 00:36:46.559 night, racing of course on talk radio ten eighty WKJK, and with the 566 00:36:46.639 --> 00:36:52.559 win Jeff now lou City moves six points clear of Charleston for the best record 567 00:36:52.679 --> 00:36:55.239 in the US All they've got what we would assume would be a couple of 568 00:36:55.519 --> 00:37:00.440 easier matches. Nothing's a given in this league, mind you. They've got 569 00:37:00.679 --> 00:37:04.159 Rhode Island coming in on Saturday night, then a week from Saturday to head 570 00:37:04.199 --> 00:37:07.880 to Birmingham, and then a tougher competition is they go out west to take 571 00:37:07.960 --> 00:37:10.320 on Oakland, who's not too shabby this year. LU City could be sitting 572 00:37:10.320 --> 00:37:15.360 pretty good before they head to the West Coast starting next month. Yeah, 573 00:37:15.400 --> 00:37:17.519 I mean they're sitting really pretty right now. Like you have six points clear 574 00:37:17.599 --> 00:37:21.840 of Charleston. Not just Charleston, we should point out Indy eleven, the 575 00:37:21.920 --> 00:37:25.719 rivals from the North sixty five, have been absolutely scorching hot. They've won 576 00:37:25.880 --> 00:37:30.519 eight straight games in the eleven Wow, and they are now tied with Charleston 577 00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:35.679 for second place not only in the Eastern Conference but in the entire league. 578 00:37:35.760 --> 00:37:39.480 Charleston has the slight edge over Indy based on goal differential. They've outscored their 579 00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:45.159 opponents by more than Indy has outscored their opponents. But Indy eleven, they've 580 00:37:45.199 --> 00:37:47.840 been absolutely red hot, and you have to take them seriously long term over 581 00:37:47.880 --> 00:37:50.679 the course of the season. Now, though, based on the way they've 582 00:37:50.679 --> 00:37:53.199 played over the last two months, and if you think back just quickly to 583 00:37:53.280 --> 00:38:00.360 that nationally televised game on CBS for Lucity that there's a lot of hype around 584 00:38:00.639 --> 00:38:02.960 several months back at Lynn Family Steadium against Indy was a game that ended five 585 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:08.159 to three, and I think that that it wasn't anhenomenally for Indy to play 586 00:38:08.239 --> 00:38:10.679 that well against the high scoring Louisville City team. I mean, they were 587 00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:15.280 in that game with those three goals, so I think that just shows that 588 00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:19.440 they are a legit contender and a real quality team. But still, all 589 00:38:19.519 --> 00:38:23.239 that being said, Louisville City is six points clear of both Charleston and Indy 590 00:38:23.360 --> 00:38:27.280 there even now on games played with both of those teams. All three of 591 00:38:27.320 --> 00:38:30.559 those teams have played fifteen games at this point in the season, and Louisville 592 00:38:30.599 --> 00:38:32.079 City has some clear water. So as long as they can keep pace with 593 00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:36.840 what they've been doing, they are in line right now to win the regular 594 00:38:36.920 --> 00:38:38.639 season title, which is one of the titles that they've not won. Right 595 00:38:38.719 --> 00:38:43.679 They won the two championships, winning in the playoffs in twenty seventeen to twenty 596 00:38:43.760 --> 00:38:46.679 eighteen, but they've never been number one overall seed in the USL, so 597 00:38:46.800 --> 00:38:51.119 that's on the table for this team this year. And also on the table 598 00:38:51.679 --> 00:38:55.559 is a potential record. If they continue to score at the rate that they've 599 00:38:55.599 --> 00:38:59.960 been scoring, Louisville City, they will go down as the highest scoring team 600 00:39:00.159 --> 00:39:02.639 ever in USL history. Now, the long way to go, and the 601 00:39:02.719 --> 00:39:06.840 scoring has slowed down a little bit over the last couple of weeks for Louisville 602 00:39:06.840 --> 00:39:08.960 City because they've had injuries to Adrian and Perez. Notably, he's going to 603 00:39:09.000 --> 00:39:13.360 be out for longer term period of time in the words of Danny Cruz, 604 00:39:13.400 --> 00:39:16.239 the head coach, so that may impact that record chase. But so far 605 00:39:16.360 --> 00:39:21.760 it's been the highest scoring Louisville City team ever and potentially the highest scoring team 606 00:39:21.880 --> 00:39:25.559 in their league ever they keep scoring at this pace. So yeah, you 607 00:39:25.679 --> 00:39:29.840 mentioned the game's coming up Rhode Island. They're a brand new team, an 608 00:39:29.880 --> 00:39:32.199 expansion team there, in second to last place in the Eastern Conference. Lu 609 00:39:32.280 --> 00:39:36.039 City went up to Rhode Island and played them a few weeks back. It 610 00:39:36.159 --> 00:39:38.320 was a scoreless tie. A difficult place to go up there and play on 611 00:39:38.360 --> 00:39:43.519 an artificial service didn't really lend itself to Louisville City's playing style. I think 612 00:39:43.599 --> 00:39:46.119 seeing Rhode Island at home this weekend, you would expect Lucity to be a 613 00:39:46.159 --> 00:39:49.280 heavy favorite, and frankly, but with the way that they played, you'd 614 00:39:49.320 --> 00:39:52.760 expect them to win by three, four or five goals with a clean sheet 615 00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:57.679 and a shutout as well. That's you know, who knows if that happens, 616 00:39:57.719 --> 00:40:00.119 but I think that's a fair expectation from the outside looking in coming on 617 00:40:00.280 --> 00:40:04.599 Saturday, and then yeah, the West Coast trip looming in a couple of 618 00:40:04.639 --> 00:40:07.400 weeks time. Oakland's a great team in the Western Conference right now, they're 619 00:40:07.400 --> 00:40:10.800 sitting in third place in a very competitive Western Conference, so that will be 620 00:40:10.840 --> 00:40:15.639 an important matchup. And Louisville City still has yet this season's got to really 621 00:40:16.199 --> 00:40:19.960 really impress on the road. They've played on the road, they've got the 622 00:40:20.119 --> 00:40:22.920 faults on the road. Look at last night. It is a great example 623 00:40:22.960 --> 00:40:25.119 of that. They get a win against Pittsburgh, but they've not played to 624 00:40:25.159 --> 00:40:29.000 their full potential on the road the way that we've seen them play to their 625 00:40:29.000 --> 00:40:32.320 full potential at home, winning comfortably by multiple goals and scoring multiple goals. 626 00:40:32.440 --> 00:40:37.039 Every road result they've gotten this year has been a kind of dogfight. They've 627 00:40:37.079 --> 00:40:39.239 had to grind it out and really earn their way to those three points, 628 00:40:39.480 --> 00:40:43.559 really earn their way to the result. So it would be nice if on 629 00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:47.320 that West Coast swing, maybe Louisville City can can find that road mojo the 630 00:40:47.400 --> 00:40:51.679 way that they found it at home. That'll be one of the storylines going 631 00:40:51.760 --> 00:40:53.519 forward for that. But if you're not really paying attention to Louisville City right 632 00:40:53.519 --> 00:40:58.920 now out there listening to us, if you're a casual soccer fan, this 633 00:40:59.119 --> 00:41:00.639 is the best Louisville team, in my opinion, that we've ever had, 634 00:41:00.639 --> 00:41:04.039 at least based on the performance that they put in this year. They can 635 00:41:04.079 --> 00:41:07.360 stay healthy, they are the most talented team that Louisville City has ever had. 636 00:41:07.559 --> 00:41:10.440 They're the deepest team Louisville City has ever had so far, They're the 637 00:41:10.559 --> 00:41:15.920 highest scoring team Louisville City has ever had. They are really how a contender 638 00:41:15.039 --> 00:41:17.719 not only for the championship of the playoffs, but the regular season title. 639 00:41:17.880 --> 00:41:21.480 It's a special group. The way that they play, the way that they 640 00:41:21.599 --> 00:41:24.360 really go for it, really get after it offensively, attacking, It's an 641 00:41:24.519 --> 00:41:29.119 entertaining brand that Danny Cruz is playing right now with this team, So it's 642 00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:32.599 worth buying into if you're a fan of sports out there generally looking for something 643 00:41:32.639 --> 00:41:37.519 to get into over the summer, you know, with college sports looming in 644 00:41:37.559 --> 00:41:39.760 the fall, Louisville City is worth the price of admission right now, to 645 00:41:39.800 --> 00:41:43.519 say the least. Oh and you've been on that bandwagon, Jeffrey, since 646 00:41:43.719 --> 00:41:45.599 day one when we started doing this. You are the best, my brother. 647 00:41:45.840 --> 00:41:50.480 Thank you so much, jeff We didn't get into some Copa America talking 648 00:41:50.599 --> 00:41:53.280 some euro talk. We'll have to do that coming up soon. Yeah. 649 00:41:53.360 --> 00:41:57.800 Man, we got the US on Sunday starting the Copa America. It's going 650 00:41:57.880 --> 00:42:01.119 to be a really exciting summer tournament with US national team heading into that World 651 00:42:01.159 --> 00:42:04.800 Cup. Remember we got the World Cup in twenty twenty six coming to the 652 00:42:04.920 --> 00:42:08.159 US. That's right exciting time for soccer fans. Jeffrey. I appreciate you 653 00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:10.679 as always, brother, Get some rest, take care of yourself. We'll 654 00:42:10.679 --> 00:42:15.480 talk soon. Ye appreciate you, Scott as always. All right, there 655 00:42:15.480 --> 00:42:17.480 he goes, Ladies and gentlemen. Jeff Melby Radio Voice of Blue City and 656 00:42:17.639 --> 00:42:22.440 Racing Louisville the best when it comes to talking footy here in Louisville. John 657 00:42:22.559 --> 00:42:23.480 not gonna come back. Talk for a few minutes, and we're gonna have 658 00:42:23.559 --> 00:42:27.360 some helmet talk, and then John and I are gonna take you home as 659 00:42:27.519 --> 00:42:30.199 day one of two days sitting in here with you for the vacationing Nick Coffee. 660 00:42:30.239 --> 00:42:32.880 I'm Scott Fitzgerald. He's John Alden. That was Jeff Melby. We're 661 00:42:32.960 --> 00:42:39.199 back after this on Sports Talk seven ninety filling in for Nick Coffee. Appreciate 662 00:42:39.320 --> 00:42:43.800 Dad, little summertime vibe. John Alden playing those tunes there when we come 663 00:42:43.880 --> 00:42:46.440 back. Helmet Mania. We all love football helmets. What is driving the 664 00:42:46.519 --> 00:42:51.760 craze? I found a guy on TikTok and he's awesome, and we're gonna 665 00:42:51.800 --> 00:42:53.440 hear his story. We're gonna hear some cool stories about what's behind some of 666 00:42:53.480 --> 00:42:57.480 those helmets out there when we come back. He's John Olden, I'm Scott 667 00:42:57.519 --> 00:43:00.800 Fitzgil. We're gonna push away for a sec, go we charge ourselves and 668 00:43:00.840 --> 00:43:02.119 come back for the final hour. I'm in for the next two days. 669 00:43:02.199 --> 00:43:05.199 Back after this on Sports Talk seven ninety