WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:03.279 You know, it just works on so many levels. When 2 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:06.120 you start listening to the lyrics, you know it just 3 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:08.160 I don't know, man, it's one of the bits I 4 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:08.759 can't quit. 5 00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:11.480 And you know the deal. When we play Limp Biscuit on. 6 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:15.560 This radio show, it's signed to welcome in club legend 7 00:00:15.800 --> 00:00:18.640 future Hall of Famer Trey Fitzgerald. 8 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:20.440 Who's the Hall of Fame? By the time you got 9 00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:23.399 the intro, right, who's the hall of Fame named after? Again? 10 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:26.160 That you're going to be inducted to some NWSL like 11 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:29.399 you told us this weekend. I better be there when 12 00:00:29.399 --> 00:00:31.280 you're inducted into the whatever hall of fame. 13 00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:36.000 Oh, there is a Colin Jose Media Award, okay at 14 00:00:36.039 --> 00:00:38.359 the National Soccer Hall of Fame, and Colin Jose was 15 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:42.759 a NWSC. Now the archive is for the NASL, the 16 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:46.359 league that form the foundation for the sport in this 17 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:47.719 country over the last fifty years. 18 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:49.640 How do how do we get you on the list 19 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:53.880 for that award or do you actually have to work 20 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:54.759 for it? 21 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:00.479 Good question, just out of curiosity. Hello, Trey, how are you? 22 00:01:00.759 --> 00:01:02.560 I'm great? How are you great? To see you live 23 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:03.119 in studio. 24 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:05.200 If you've ever wondered what Trey looks like and why 25 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:08.640 the Olympus get music works so well, Uh, don't do that. 26 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:11.879 Don't throw deuces up log on our YouTube channel. Trey 27 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:14.680 is in studio. I always appreciate your time coming down. 28 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:17.519 All right, let's just start. 29 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:19.239 With some big picture stuff with the club, because it's 30 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:22.120 been it's been a rough start and it's been a 31 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:25.200 little chaotic behind the scenes with the ownership transition. The 32 00:01:25.239 --> 00:01:28.799 primary transfer window comes and goes with a couple of additions, 33 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:31.280 but no additions that I think a lot of people 34 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:33.599 were either hoping or expecting when it came to a DP. 35 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:37.640 The Bosanique deal with the Portuguese club falls apart at 36 00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:39.840 last minute. So what's the past you know, a month, 37 00:01:39.879 --> 00:01:41.079 month and a half been like for you guys. 38 00:01:41.239 --> 00:01:45.519 Yeah, it's been I think energetic, it's been dynamic. I 39 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:48.519 think in all ways it's been positive. Even the Bosenig 40 00:01:48.599 --> 00:01:53.879 deal falling apart, it was you know, that happened as 41 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:57.280 a result of I think Kurt and company drawing a 42 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:00.400 line in the sand and saying you're not gonna to 43 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:04.560 change from euros or dollars to euros at the last 44 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:07.000 minute and ask for a bunch more money. That was 45 00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:09.960 the deal and move the goalposts and change the terms. 46 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:12.560 And you know, I think Kurt got to a point 47 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:14.439 where he felt like if we met their demands, it 48 00:02:14.439 --> 00:02:17.159 would set a bad precedent and it would also kind 49 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:19.319 of hamstring us a little bit in the summer. So 50 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:23.080 the Agata trade was made with with Sporting Kansas City. 51 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:26.599 We haven't really seen him much yet. He did play 52 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:30.400 forty five at Vancouver, played what twenty two to twenty 53 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:34.240 three at San Diego. Clearly he's a talented player. He 54 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:38.120 scored two goals against US last year. You know, I 55 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:41.120 guess in my mind maybe he ends up being over 56 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:45.400 the longer term, more of the Anderson Julio replacement. And 57 00:02:45.879 --> 00:02:49.319 you know, Chicho was really good for San Jose the 58 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:53.000 other night, and I think that'll be Kurt's focus in 59 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:57.319 the summer. Is is a killer nine and you reference 60 00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:01.520 the ownership change. Every experiences I've had with anybody on 61 00:03:01.560 --> 00:03:05.080 the Miller side in the months leading up to the 62 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:09.360 official public announcement has been nothing but amazingly positive. And 63 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:13.599 you know, look, Spence, I never once thought that RSL 64 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:17.520 would leave Utah or move from Utah. But you know, 65 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:21.199 Commissioner Garber and others. They said, with the Miller family 66 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:26.360 being the majority locally engaged owner, there's never a doubt. 67 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.719 And you know, the Blitzer group is still very much involved, 68 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:33.960 especially on the sporting side. We've got some young academy 69 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:38.479 products that are over in Denmark with Bronby right now, 70 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:42.240 and they're going to get some cups of coffee around 71 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:45.240 some of the different teams in the continent there. That's 72 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:48.000 exciting stuff for the development of a kid. It's not 73 00:03:48.439 --> 00:03:51.719 probably super exciting for our fans that are worried about 74 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:54.840 first team performance over the first third of the season. 75 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:58.319 But I guess the saving grace right now as I 76 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:00.400 try to look at things glass half full, is we've 77 00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:04.639 got twenty five games left across all competitions, so there's 78 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:08.840 plenty of time to kind of turn the ship around. 79 00:04:08.840 --> 00:04:13.439 Four wins, seven losses in MLS, we're only I think 80 00:04:13.479 --> 00:04:16.360 six points out of second place, which is amazing. Seven points. 81 00:04:16.360 --> 00:04:19.839 Maybe go to Dallas this weekend at the end of 82 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:24.199 a three game road trip. Dallas just got smashed, so 83 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:27.319 if we can get the three points there, take six 84 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:30.360 out of nine. The Vancouver loss is disappointing, but they're 85 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:32.800 the best team in the league. So for us to 86 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:38.399 have kind of maybe not embarrassed ourselves against them is 87 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:41.879 a moral victory, which obviously don't count for anything. 88 00:04:41.959 --> 00:04:44.600 Seven points out of second in fairness, two points out 89 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:45.279 of fourteenth. 90 00:04:45.319 --> 00:04:46.560 Okay, yeah, tightly packed. 91 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:49.800 But look, I bring it up for context because over 92 00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:51.959 the course of the twenty years now, which is still 93 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:53.879 wild for me to think about, in the existence of 94 00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:56.160 the club, some of our best teams had horrible starts 95 00:04:56.680 --> 00:04:59.680 and some of our worst teams had awesome stus. This season, 96 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:02.240 almost unlike any other, is an absolute marathon. It is 97 00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:04.639 not a sprint. So I'm not ready to anoint or dismiss, 98 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:07.600 but I do think there is a faction of this 99 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:09.759 fan base that looks at and I want you to 100 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:11.759 walk us through this because you've been around the league 101 00:05:11.800 --> 00:05:15.560 forever and it is a single entity policy continuously. So 102 00:05:15.800 --> 00:05:19.240 you cannot draw a straight line by doing all of 103 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:22.160 the math of every player you let go and saying, 104 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:25.040 why don't we spend every one of those dollars on 105 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:26.040 a player transfer. 106 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:27.759 That's not how the business model works. 107 00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:31.560 However, it is I think understandable for a fan base 108 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:35.720 it saw potentially fifteen to eighteen of the most exciting 109 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:37.639 games that we've ever seen here last year with that 110 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:40.360 group of attacking players be broken down brick by brick 111 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:42.319 without adequate replacements. 112 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:44.199 I think that's fair. True, Yeah, yeah, I think it 113 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:48.319 is fair. The whiplash from a year ago to now 114 00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:52.920 is certainly I think exacerbating the situation because you do 115 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:56.839 go fifteen games in the league unbeaten for the better 116 00:05:56.920 --> 00:05:59.879 part of March, April and May. You're in first place, 117 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:04.639 You're in the supporter shield race. Chicho's got seventeen goals 118 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:09.839 in seventeen games. I think at that point you sell Andres, 119 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:16.199 Chicho scores one goal in his final what twenty games, 120 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:19.240 let's say maybe a little less over the second half 121 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:24.240 of the season, it was. It was a stumble to 122 00:06:24.279 --> 00:06:27.160 the finish after you sell Andres. Now it's not I 123 00:06:27.160 --> 00:06:30.639 think people forget that. Okay, you sell Andres for eleven million, 124 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:35.360 it goes to thirteen with some bonuses. All that money 125 00:06:35.399 --> 00:06:38.680 isn't paid up front. You take five million of what 126 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:41.879 you get from him and you buy Diogo, you buy 127 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:47.319 Dominic MARCHUK, you buy Lachlan Brook, you sign Javane Brown 128 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:50.800 off of waivers from Vancouver. So it's not like no 129 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:54.360 resources were used and everything was pocketed. That's just not 130 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:57.319 how it works. Because some of these dollars are real 131 00:06:57.439 --> 00:07:00.600 cash dollars, as you've heard Kurt explain. Some the gam 132 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:05.120 is not real cash. It's fictional. Kind of capology, if 133 00:07:05.160 --> 00:07:09.759 you will. I think you know, the chi Cho move 134 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:14.680 was calculated. The Matt Crooks move was maybe a little late, 135 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:18.360 and it was right by him. He's doing very well 136 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:22.120 in the in the championship over in England. But I 137 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:25.720 think now through the first ten eleven games, we've realized 138 00:07:25.720 --> 00:07:28.480 how much work he did for everybody else and you're 139 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:33.000 missing that. Now. What it's done is you're allowing Diego 140 00:07:33.079 --> 00:07:35.279 Luna to become the man. As Pablo said a couple 141 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:38.319 of weeks ago, he's not on the assent anymore. This 142 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:40.920 is his team. He's he's the man. Maybe that's a 143 00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:43.079 lot to put on a twenty one year old shoulders, 144 00:07:44.680 --> 00:07:49.319 you know. Maybe Dominic has not. He's been I think positive, 145 00:07:49.800 --> 00:07:51.680 but he hasn't been as consistent as he was in 146 00:07:51.720 --> 00:07:55.680 the final seven games last year. Arip Ol clearly learning 147 00:07:55.720 --> 00:08:00.800 on the job. Agata and Russell we've hardly seen box 148 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:02.839 to box. I think everybody feels really good about the 149 00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:05.879 core of the team and Annelli and Ojeita and Glad 150 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:09.040 and Vera and Junka and Katranas and you know, maybe 151 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:11.800 right back, we've had a rotating cast of characters. Rafael 152 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:16.000 Cabral has been phenomenal, but we don't have those difference 153 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:18.360 makers the Chico and Andres that we had a year ago. 154 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:23.399 Nobody other than Diego's really stepped up in that category. 155 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:27.600 Well, and we I think it might be time and 156 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:31.800 maybe pastime to have a salient, honest conversation about Diogo, 157 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:34.480 who has the same amount of goals as Sam Junka 158 00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:37.639 right now, right he has a goal and he has 159 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:41.600 two assists in eleven games. And you know, last year 160 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:44.840 he rolled into town with a lot of fanfare and 161 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:46.000 was not productive. 162 00:08:46.039 --> 00:08:48.759 And the walking line was we need a preseason with him. 163 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:52.399 Yeah, he's your only DP, and from my vantage point, 164 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:54.799 he hasn't been good enough. So maybe you guys are 165 00:08:54.840 --> 00:08:59.120 seeing things in training or moments where you know he 166 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:00.799 is providing the quality. 167 00:09:00.440 --> 00:09:01.559 That you want from that position. 168 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:03.600 But at what point do we look at that and say, 169 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:05.840 I don't know, man, it's not a It hasn't worked 170 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:06.639 right so far. 171 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:09.200 Yeah, and I think there's a couple of ways to 172 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:12.320 look at it, And you know, talking to Pablo and 173 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:17.559 Kurt Daily as I do, I think Pablo looks at 174 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:19.759 Diogo and says, Okay, this is a guy who played 175 00:09:19.799 --> 00:09:23.559 thirty one Champions League games. Clearly there's quality and pedigree, 176 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:27.600 different league, different style of play. He was not the 177 00:09:27.639 --> 00:09:31.759 man in any of those situations at Copenhagen or Benfica. 178 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:34.399 He was the man behind the man, or the man 179 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:39.639 behind the man behind the man. And the other thing 180 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:43.799 that Pablo has said consistently in his Apple production calls 181 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:48.480 is Diogo is a very smart technical player. He's an 182 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:52.000 incredible finisher. When he's on the field, he's seeing the 183 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:57.159 game in Pablo's estimation two three, four steps ahead, but 184 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:00.360 nobody around him is seeing the game at the same 185 00:10:01.240 --> 00:10:06.159 cadence as he is, So there's a disconnect there. Right, 186 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:08.559 He's surrounded by an awful lot of youth. And again 187 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:11.480 these are all just making excuses for him, because if 188 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:14.399 he didn't have those two DP initials next to his name, 189 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:17.600 I think the perception of his contribution as performance would 190 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:20.679 probably be very different. So I would expect in the 191 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:25.039 summer you add a DP, maybe maybe that DP that 192 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:28.000 presence of that other DP would hold him accountable in 193 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:31.039 such a way. Maybe he leaves. I don't know. It 194 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:34.360 could be one situation or another. His wife just announced 195 00:10:34.360 --> 00:10:37.600 on Instagram a week ago that they are expecting their 196 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:40.480 first child graduate So you never know how some of 197 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:42.919 these off field things are happening. Like you know, you've 198 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:46.600 heard the guys talk about. You know, Dominic's kind of 199 00:10:46.679 --> 00:10:49.559 choppy start to the beginning of the season can be 200 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:52.080 attributed as fact his dad has been very unhealthy and 201 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:55.240 he's been five thousand miles away from that situation, and 202 00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:57.240 you know, Dunny's been talking about this for years. You 203 00:10:57.279 --> 00:10:59.360 just never know how guys. Some guys are very good 204 00:10:59.399 --> 00:11:03.000 at compartmenting the ninety minutes on the field and everything 205 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:05.360 else off and the other guys it bleeds through and 206 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:11.080 it affects them. So the good news is things haven't frayed, right, Like, 207 00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:13.600 guys haven't turned on each other, and all you can 208 00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:17.159 hope for is improvement day by day, hour by hour, 209 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:17.840 and game by game. 210 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:21.159 So the explanation for Diego is that he's too good, 211 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:25.360 he's too smart, and it's too of all, it's just 212 00:11:25.399 --> 00:11:27.480 not on the same page. Okay, Well, he's got a 213 00:11:27.559 --> 00:11:29.600 kid next to him who clearly is seeing the game 214 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:32.679 the way he supposedly is. But at least Diego is 215 00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:36.519 producing six goals, two assists, another goal over the weekend, 216 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:39.759 a PK finish against Vancouver. You've had a front row 217 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:42.039 seat to watch this kid develop. And I know that 218 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:44.919 some RSL fans don't love that. I wax poetic and 219 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:47.320 talk about some of our great superstars back in the day. 220 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:50.240 But for me, Trey he has the ability to be 221 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:52.360 better in all of them. Yeah, and I hope most 222 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:54.360 of those years are here. I get the deal that 223 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:56.960 that probably isn't the case. But what's it been like 224 00:11:57.000 --> 00:11:59.840 for you to watch this kid blow up and evolve 225 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:01.840 in it's really a rising star in the ranks of 226 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:03.600 soccer across the entire country. 227 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:07.200 Yeah, it's amazing. I mean, Diego clearly came here as 228 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:11.600 a as a as an older teen, and he's a 229 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:15.080 man now, he's got a kid. He's very serious about 230 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:19.120 his craft. He is. I think the biggest area of 231 00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:23.840 growth for him is maybe holding teammates accountable, whether it's 232 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:26.320 in training sessions, it's in film sessions, it's in the 233 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:29.919 middle of the game. Oh yeah, And though he will 234 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:32.200 grab a guy by the collar like Jason Christ used 235 00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:34.600 to do, and say wake up, let's go what is 236 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:38.360 wrong with you? Matt Banky. It was Luke krammel Meyer 237 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:42.480 as the vivid one in my maybe Tino Nuniez as well, 238 00:12:42.519 --> 00:12:45.480 shout out, I can keep going, you know, I can 239 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:48.159 play this game all Diego like Apple is asking him 240 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:51.600 to be an ambassador. MLS wants to use him in everything. 241 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:54.840 Landon Donovan and Tim Howard want them on their on 242 00:12:54.919 --> 00:12:57.679 their podcast. He's done. You know. He did the and 243 00:12:58.120 --> 00:13:01.120 or thing with the actor Diego Luna, Travis Scott had 244 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:04.159 him out to Coachella. These are things that don't typically 245 00:13:04.200 --> 00:13:06.399 happen to a real Salt lakey no matter how many 246 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:09.799 goals you have. And and the thing is is like 247 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:13.000 Diego's matured, but he hasn't really changed. Like he's still 248 00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:16.559 a good guy that you can walk up to and 249 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:20.759 and dap up and just have a good conversation with his. 250 00:13:21.720 --> 00:13:23.960 If I was twenty one and suddenly the world was 251 00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:27.480 acting like I was important, I would expect my ego 252 00:13:27.559 --> 00:13:34.080 to probably outgrow its efficiency, you know. And look, part 253 00:13:34.120 --> 00:13:36.639 of what's great about Diego is his belief in himself 254 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:41.000 and you know that quiet confidence. But he really has 255 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:44.320 put this team on his shoulders. He's got what two 256 00:13:44.519 --> 00:13:47.960 two goal games, He's made Team of the Week three times, 257 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:52.519 So I think he's again. I don't know what's gonna happen. 258 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:55.120 I expect him to be here for a year. I 259 00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:57.200 think that gives him the best chance to go to 260 00:13:57.279 --> 00:13:59.720 the Gold Cup here in a couple months under poach 261 00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:03.320 a team know then and then really give himself a 262 00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:06.000 chance to make that World Cup team a year from now. 263 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:09.600 And the US soccer assistants that have been around clearly 264 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:14.159 Pochattino loves him. They love his grit, his grind, his 265 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:17.440 attitude on both sides of the ball, and he's not 266 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:20.200 afraid to try stuff. And we saw it in the 267 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:24.759 Nations League whatever semi final and final or third place 268 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:27.000 game I should say, where the US lost to Panama 269 00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:29.600 in Canada. He was the lone bright spot. He was 270 00:14:29.639 --> 00:14:31.519 the only guy trying things. He was the only guy 271 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:35.320 making things happen for himself and for others. So sky's 272 00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:38.159 a limit still for a twenty one year old Diego Luna. 273 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:40.519 A bit of a non sequitur, but you're referenced Aarsaul 274 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:43.320 players at Coachella, and so I've got to ask you 275 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:45.440 about Nick Rimando being inducted in the Hall of Fame. 276 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:49.679 Nick is a known music festival guy, absolutely, but you know, 277 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:54.720 little history lesson. I can remember one of my wake 278 00:14:54.799 --> 00:15:00.799 up calls to Okay, professional soccer in America is much 279 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:04.919 different than professional professional basketball, professional football, the sports I 280 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:08.519 was raised around, when I found out that our starting 281 00:15:08.600 --> 00:15:12.440 keeper in two thousand and seven, Scott Garlic, had elected 282 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:15.200 to retire because he had an opportunity in real estate. 283 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:18.159 Good for Scott, apparently it's worked out for him, just fine, 284 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:21.279 it seems like it. But ultimately I can remember thinking, like, wait, 285 00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:26.240 a athlete in his maybe later prime is retiring when 286 00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:29.000 he has a contract to keep playing to work in 287 00:15:29.080 --> 00:15:32.360 real estate. So we were scrambling to get a keeper 288 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:38.000 and ultimately went and reacquired Nick Romando from d C 289 00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:42.919 New York where Bruce Arena correct. Okay, So we were 290 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:45.360 able to acquire Romando in the deal that also brought 291 00:15:45.399 --> 00:15:49.000 us Freddy Freddy You Do, which did not work out 292 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:50.679 as well as we were expecting. We did not know 293 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:52.399 that the better piece of that deal was actually the 294 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:54.399 keeper that we were receiving, who turned out to be 295 00:15:55.480 --> 00:15:58.279 one of the main conduits to lifting trophies and by 296 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.799 most accounts, the greatest keeper this league has ever seen. 297 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:03.960 So your thoughts on on NICKI getting inducted into the 298 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:06.480 National Hall of Fame, the only RSL player to have this. 299 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:08.759 I would imagine Kyle gets there at some point. I 300 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:11.000 would hope Kyle can get in the next year or two. 301 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:14.759 Yeah. Nick Romando inducted in the National Soccer Hall of 302 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:19.320 Fame in Frisco, Texas this weekend. We will celebrate Nick 303 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:24.519 on June fourteenth against DC United at America First Field 304 00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:27.360 in Sandy, and Nick will get his name put up 305 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:29.919 in the Ring of Honor next to Jason christ and 306 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:33.399 Javier Morales and clearly the three of them were teammates 307 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:36.240 together on that MLS Cup two thousand and nine championship team. 308 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:40.799 Nick Rimando was named the MasterCard Most Valuable Player. 309 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:41.480 Uh. 310 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:48.639 They were then up in Seattle against Galaxy and Nicky's 311 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:51.360 just been for a guy that never won the Goalkeeper 312 00:16:51.399 --> 00:16:55.000 of the award, which is insane. He should have wanted 313 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:58.600 the following year in twenty ten, when RSL only allowed, 314 00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:03.120 I want to say, in thirty four games and the 315 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:06.799 reason Nick didn't win that year. I was told was 316 00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:09.720 because Borcher's and Lave were ahead of him and they 317 00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:12.640 both made Best eleven, but Nick didn't. Whatever. It was 318 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:18.480 very silly, but anyway, you know Nick. Nick's second act 319 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:21.039 of his career was here, right. He won a Cup 320 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:24.759 in DC, but he had suffered a knee injury and 321 00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:29.240 he was considered damage goods. And to your point, we 322 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:33.079 traded for Freddy Adu from d C in like November. 323 00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:37.799 Nick Romondo was a throw in in that deal. I 324 00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:40.839 think we sent j Nalli and a draft pick the 325 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:48.240 other way, and then Nick ended up moving to We 326 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:51.319 traded him to New York because he wanted to play 327 00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:54.519 for Arena again and we wanted Garlic, and then well 328 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:56.640 we had Garlic from the first couple of years. And 329 00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:59.720 then Garlic retires two weeks before the season, and Bruce 330 00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:03.119 Arene told John Ellinger and I don't know, March of seven, 331 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:06.039 who do you want. You can have Nick back, or 332 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:09.000 you can have John Conway, who was a decent keeper 333 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:13.359 at the time. And Ellinger goes, I guess we'll take Nick. 334 00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:16.839 And then Nick plays for us for another fourteen seasons. 335 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:23.599 Leeds MLS all time in minutes played, games played, games started, saves, wins, 336 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:27.559 all the important goalkeeping categories, and some of these record 337 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:32.920 spans are most likely untouchable because Kyle Nick others were 338 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:36.680 kind of a rare breed Pablo that played their entire 339 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:43.160 fourteen fifteen years professionally in MLS, and some of them 340 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:46.799 have played the majority of those years for one team. 341 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:49.799 We're seeing it now, Diego Sharra up in Portland has 342 00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:53.000 played his entire career with the Timbers. So there's a 343 00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:58.599 few examples here and there, but we're so glad that 344 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:03.039 Nick made a home here. He operates businesses here, he's 345 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:05.359 the goalkeeper coach for the Monarch, spends a lot of 346 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:09.599 time with our academy kids as well, and you know, 347 00:19:09.640 --> 00:19:12.079 I think Gavin Beaver's and every other young keeper that's 348 00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:14.480 come through our club would would credit Nick with some 349 00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:15.200 of their development. 350 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:18.839 So moving back over to here and now, because there 351 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:22.200 are some bright spots other than Diego, and I talked 352 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:25.559 to Pablo about this last week because, as you know, 353 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:27.519 I was on the road with the club in San Diego. 354 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:30.799 You're like, good, look, I mean, folks are saying that. 355 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:33.480 I'm not saying that, but folks are saying that you 356 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:36.119 elected to ditch me on the trip, which is fine. 357 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:38.119 The trip worked out just fine for your boy. We'll 358 00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:38.920 leave that off there. 359 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:46.039 But watching the win against San Diego and a mecha 360 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:47.279 has been good for a while. 361 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:48.400 Dude. 362 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:52.160 He controlled the entire flow of the game. And I 363 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:54.680 talked to Pablo about this. And you remember this funny 364 00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:57.519 anecdote that I always share about Kyle, about Kyle Beckerman 365 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:00.799 because I can remember. This was two thousands seven. Jay 366 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:05.440 took the head coaching job in Okay, so he had 367 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:09.079 Kyle at holding mid, which is Kyle's, you know, the 368 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:13.039 position that he became a legend of the club. And 369 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:15.559 of course me still learning the game of soccer, Kyle 370 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:17.359 scores one of his Becker bombs. We used to call 371 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:20.119 him this thirty yard blast, and we were having trouble scoring. 372 00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:20.920 So on the. 373 00:20:20.920 --> 00:20:23.960 Postgame show, I say to Jason, Hey, dude, I've got 374 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:26.880 a great idea for you, buddy, Kyle needs to be 375 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:29.400 playing up top. He needs to be playing striker or 376 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:31.920 central attacking mid. And Jason gave him this look like 377 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.720 I will strangle you right now. But I'll never forget 378 00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:36.319 what he said to me because it turned out to 379 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:39.720 be prophetic. He said, if Kyle embraces this position and 380 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:41.960 what I'm asking him to do in this diamond formation, 381 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:44.400 he will play in a World Cup, which he did. 382 00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:48.000 And so after that conversation with Jason, I watched Kyle 383 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:50.640 in a different way than I had prior to, because 384 00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:53.200 you know, let people focus on the ball. They focus 385 00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:56.559 on the touchdown, pass, the dunk, unless it's Jokic, it's 386 00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:59.039 a layup because you can't dunk, or in soccer it's 387 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:02.480 the goals. You focus on the moments, right, So, after 388 00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:05.039 watching Kyle just dominate the way that he did at 389 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:09.440 that position, it gives me a different set of eyes 390 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:11.720 to watch a mecca evolve the way he's And there's 391 00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:15.000 a little Kyle in a mecca, I thought. So as 392 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:16.680 far as bright spots that we're going to go there, 393 00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:18.440 I think a mecca continues to evolve. 394 00:21:18.519 --> 00:21:23.440 Yeah, And what Pablo consistently praises a mecca for is 395 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:29.400 his brain, his intelligence, his ability to process information. And 396 00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:32.079 you know, a mecca has the fortune of playing the 397 00:21:32.119 --> 00:21:36.039 same position that Pablo and Kyle played for fifteen years 398 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:38.160 at a very very high level in this league and 399 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:46.039 in this country. And a mecca is constantly taking what 400 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:50.160 Pablo is teaching him, whether it's in film sessions, training sessions, 401 00:21:50.599 --> 00:21:53.119