WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:05.160 RSL is in action tonight. The MLS Cup playoffs start tonight. 2 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:05.759 Want to get it? 3 00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:07.440 Get you guys ready for that? Now here's the deal. 4 00:00:07.480 --> 00:00:09.519 I do not know how our guest is because Trey 5 00:00:09.560 --> 00:00:13.160 said he would get me Donny unless Donny is too 6 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:16.079 busy and that, and in that instance, Trey booked himself 7 00:00:16.120 --> 00:00:18.399 as the backup, which I would very much like to avoid. 8 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:23.120 So porter, who's our guest's dune? 9 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:23.480 Yes? 10 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:30.120 Oh oh yes, bullet dodge. Come on, Donny, Donny, thank 11 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:31.920 you for saving us. Happy Tuesday, buddy. 12 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:34.520 Oh what's going on? Guys? How are you perfect timing? 13 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:37.000 I just got done with my meeting for Apple ahead 14 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:40.079 of our broadcast tonight of Real Salt Lake Games Minnesota, 15 00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:43.399 So perfect timing literally wrapped up like thirty seconds ago. 16 00:00:43.640 --> 00:00:44.119 Very nice. 17 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:46.920 Well, look, fall, for a lot of people is about football. 18 00:00:47.679 --> 00:00:51.920 Fall also means playoff soccer. I love fall soccer. I 19 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:54.799 just love the drama. I love the feeld. So just 20 00:00:55.079 --> 00:00:57.079 paint a picture for us. You're out there at the stadium. 21 00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:58.159 What's what's the buzz like? 22 00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:01.359 Yeah? I mean gates about open here in about thirty minutes, 23 00:01:01.399 --> 00:01:02.880 and then you got to march the match right around 24 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:05.760 six sixteen, where RSL supporters will head out from the 25 00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:09.040 tailgate and make their way into the stadium and listen 26 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:12.560 to today's the start. Right, it's the last days of 27 00:01:12.599 --> 00:01:16.079 the season. You worked so hard from January to get 28 00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:18.840 to this stage, right, all the extra doggies, the runs, 29 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:22.760 the weightlifting sessions, you know, those tough conversations about who 30 00:01:22.760 --> 00:01:25.159 deserves to play, who doesn't deserve to play based on 31 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:28.280 performance or news signing, the amount of money spent during 32 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:31.120 the summer transfer window. You know, the atmosphere and the 33 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:34.439 investment into the stadium, and this is what it's all about. 34 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:37.359 Heading in the playoffs, and once you secured that top 35 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:40.560 three spot in the Western Conference, you've secured home field 36 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:43.799 advantage unless you hit one of these two Los Angeles teams, 37 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:46.200 whether that be LAFC top of the table in the 38 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:49.239 West or LA Galaxy who failed at the very last 39 00:01:49.239 --> 00:01:52.519 moment down in Houston and tonight against the Minnesota United 40 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:55.079 team that you know, Realita Lake has had success, but 41 00:01:55.239 --> 00:01:58.560 most recently these last couple of matchups they've ended in draws, 42 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:02.000 including these teams meeting a couple of weeks ago where 43 00:02:02.359 --> 00:02:04.760 Brian Vera ended up spitting at an opponent and getting 44 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:08.479 himself a multi game ban. So statistically two teams that 45 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:12.080 match up fairly even. But for rialso Lake probably most 46 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:16.479 importantly keeping the back to back shutout, kind of turning 47 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:19.759 that into something even more and trying to get Chicho 48 00:02:19.879 --> 00:02:22.719 Rongo that goal. It's because it's been elusive finding the 49 00:02:22.759 --> 00:02:25.400 back of the net. The seventeen goals, twelve assists, his 50 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:28.919 last goal on July sixth, previous to that, three goals 51 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:31.759 and the hat trick performance June first, So they got 52 00:02:31.800 --> 00:02:34.360 to get their captain back on track, confident and scoring goals. 53 00:02:34.759 --> 00:02:37.960 So tell me a bit about Minnesota. Now, ultimately, I 54 00:02:37.960 --> 00:02:40.919 don't want to be disparaging, but the two games that 55 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:43.759 I've watched, certainly the one here, they did park the 56 00:02:43.800 --> 00:02:46.840 bus in a way. They kind of did not engage 57 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:50.360 and look tactically, that's something that Pablo did in Seattle. 58 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:51.919 Like I understand, if. 59 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:54.919 You don't think that you have the ability to kind 60 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:57.319 of engage the other team, or if you just want 61 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:59.960 to get a road result that that is a win. 62 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:02.319 To attack the game, that might be beneficial. 63 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:05.560 But first of all, I guess I should just ask you, 64 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:07.599 is that kind of the way they play and then 65 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:09.599 if so, how does RSL handle that? 66 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:13.639 Yeah, I mean it's dependent upon the game itself, the 67 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:15.840 regular season game. Going on the road. Getting the point 68 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:19.120 at Real Salt Lake is something to be proud of. 69 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:23.159 Considering the strength of the home record schedule for RSL 70 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:25.719 this season, they've turned it back into the fortress that 71 00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:28.080 it once was back in the days of Rio Tinto. 72 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:31.960 But also for Eric Ramsey and Minnesota United, this is 73 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:33.800 a season of threes. I just hit my hit on 74 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:36.879 appletb and I was trying to explain it's a young manager, 75 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:39.199 just thirty two years of age. For those that don't know, 76 00:03:39.240 --> 00:03:43.759 the Minnesota United manager, Eric Ramsey spent time at Chelsea 77 00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:46.599 Football Club, he spent time at Manchester United, spent time 78 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:50.599 as an assistant coach at Wales with Gareth Bale and company, 79 00:03:50.599 --> 00:03:54.039 and now has taken over at Minnesota United. And I 80 00:03:54.039 --> 00:03:56.039 think it was kind of I don't want to say 81 00:03:56.039 --> 00:03:57.919 he was out of nowhere, but you didn't think at 82 00:03:57.960 --> 00:04:00.520 that stage of his career this young man would take 83 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:02.520 that job. So we had to bet in. And there's 84 00:04:02.520 --> 00:04:05.360 actually Cameron Knowles. Cam Knowles who played for Real salt 85 00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:07.879 as a center back back in two thousand and five. 86 00:04:08.199 --> 00:04:09.879 He was the head coach for the purpose couple of 87 00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:14.719 matches of the season, so adaption period. Team was doing well, 88 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:17.720 some young players probably over punching their mark. In the 89 00:04:17.720 --> 00:04:19.560 middle of the summer June and July, things kind of 90 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:22.879 went sideways. Three goal or three wins in just fourteen games. 91 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:26.399 But in these last ten matches, seven wins. You know, 92 00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:29.399 they conceded just one goal in their last five and 93 00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:32.519 they've been trending upwards. Like Real Salt Lake. They've added 94 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:37.199 some players, guys like Bata Bongie, Robin Hood up top, 95 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:40.240 Kelvin Yoboa. These players have shown they're more than capable 96 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:43.600 of causing havoc against opponents. But like you said, it's 97 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:46.360 a team that's probably going to come sit in, sit back, 98 00:04:46.439 --> 00:04:49.519 force Reale Salt Lake or allowed Real Salt Lake to 99 00:04:49.519 --> 00:04:53.639 play their possession based type of attacking football soccer and 100 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:55.920 see if they can hit in the transition because they 101 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:59.240 are legal and counter attack opportunities. And sometimes the name 102 00:04:59.240 --> 00:05:01.720 of the game is being beautiful with the ball. Sometimes 103 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:03.560 the name of the game is figuring out how to 104 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:05.959 expose your opponents, and that's what they've done well these 105 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:08.040 last five matches, four wins and just to draw. 106 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:11.439 All right, so excuse me on the RSL front. You 107 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:14.560 reference the Vera stuff, which is just such a bad look. 108 00:05:14.680 --> 00:05:17.519 And I've had everybody, Pablo, Jason, Kurt, We've all talked 109 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:20.959 about it. Then Big Phil Quinton goes down and so 110 00:05:21.480 --> 00:05:26.160 against Vancouver, Pablo's solution was to move to Van Brown 111 00:05:26.199 --> 00:05:28.720 to center back a mecca Andelly to right back, a 112 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:31.720 mecca I think played sixteen games right back last year, 113 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:34.959 and bring in Nelson to where a mecca was. Are 114 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:37.360 you anticipate or maybe you straight up no, like, what 115 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:39.560 what is that going to look like? 116 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:42.399 I was gonna say you had you might have the lineups. 117 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:43.519 Like what is it going to look like tonight with 118 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:44.959 that lack of center back depth? 119 00:05:45.639 --> 00:05:48.680 Yeah, without confirming anything whatsoever, because you know, I want 120 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:51.279 to keep my job, Loo, could you sane? I think 121 00:05:51.319 --> 00:05:54.079 the one thing that you can lean into is everything 122 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:56.519 you just described how they ended. They kept the shut. 123 00:05:56.560 --> 00:06:00.120 You know they they they've showed defensively that they and 124 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:03.279 handle those type of moments and you go back. There's 125 00:06:03.319 --> 00:06:06.079 been multiple times this season where Justin Glad and Brian 126 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:09.639 Vera the preferred partnership for Paulo Mastroni has not been 127 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:14.000 available where effectively you played two outside backs as center backs, 128 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:18.519 and whether that was you know, the days of a 129 00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:20.439 left back and a right back playing a center back, 130 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:22.759 or you're just having to mix a match. It hasn't 131 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:26.519 been ideal. But at the same time, nobody's healthy. You know, 132 00:06:26.759 --> 00:06:30.279 nobody's one hundred percent healthy. So again, you know, the 133 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:33.040 back to back shutouts for Zach McMath kind of continuing 134 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:35.720 to build what it looks like in terms of defensive 135 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:39.040 solidity and a shape and identity that at least with 136 00:06:39.079 --> 00:06:41.800 the mechaanelly. What I would say is if he does 137 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:45.319 again play in that right back position, yes, he's played there. 138 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:48.279 When I talked to Pablo last year, he you know, 139 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:51.680 he was thinking down the road of a Mecca being 140 00:06:51.720 --> 00:06:54.839 a central midfielder, which has been incredible alongside Ojeita. But 141 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:57.000 now if you put him at right back, he's he's 142 00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:59.959 got the intelligence of playing that position, the familiarity of 143 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:02.720 playing that position. But I'd be really intrigue expense to 144 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:05.399 see what type of wrinkle he adds in terms of 145 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:08.759 overloading and stepping up into that midfield in possession and 146 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:11.319 what that looks like, because it's gonna. It's going to 147 00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:13.439 cause some havocs for the opponents to kind of think 148 00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:17.000 about where his starting position and his ending position are, 149 00:07:17.160 --> 00:07:20.240 especially with Catronis down that left hand side. He loves 150 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:22.879 to get forward, effectively plays a left winger, and that 151 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:26.160 ultimately allows Diego Luna and Matt Crooks to be two 152 00:07:26.279 --> 00:07:30.319 central midfielders in attacking mode underneath Tico Rongo. All of 153 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:33.160 those little movements that I'm talking about causes a lot 154 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:36.360 of it causes. It causes a ton of havoc for 155 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:39.600 opponents to try to figure out when to step, when 156 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:42.279 to stay, and you have to be very communicative in 157 00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:44.279 terms of dealing with what's in front of you and 158 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:47.560 what's behind you. That is a nightmare, especially in the playoffs, 159 00:07:47.560 --> 00:07:47.920 to deal with. 160 00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:51.160 So Pablo hopped down before the Vancouver match and I 161 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:53.959 asked him, because the schedule is being a little funky 162 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:57.160 this year, with three games in one week often and 163 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:00.319 then international duty injuries, he's had to show uff lit 164 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:03.639 a bit. I said, okay, last regular season match before 165 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:06.439 the postseason, are we going to see a first choice eleven? 166 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:10.240 And he basically said yes, so, and you know, I 167 00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:11.759 just want you to walk me through this because it 168 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:14.839 feels like Diego should be centralized, but Matt's been really 169 00:08:14.839 --> 00:08:17.680 good there and so Diego was out left, Diego was 170 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:20.600 out right, which is new. Diego hopped on the show 171 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:22.720 last week and said where every place I'm gonna end 172 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:23.480 up centralized? 173 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:24.040 So there's that. 174 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:27.639 It feels like Mark Zuke was the guy they wanted 175 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:29.399 and maybe still will be the guy they wanted. His 176 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:31.680 feeling for Andres, and we have Lachlan in the mix 177 00:08:31.720 --> 00:08:34.799 as well. He has a lot of different offensive options 178 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:37.559 and groupings. Where where do you think that group ultimately 179 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:40.279 should and will kind of settle in when the dust settles. 180 00:08:40.639 --> 00:08:42.519 Yeah, I don't think mark Chuk started because he was 181 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:46.600 away with Poland in Germany coming off international duty. So 182 00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:49.519 I think mark Chuk if he had, if he had 183 00:08:49.559 --> 00:08:53.360 his full compliment of attacking players available, mark Chuk will 184 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:54.840 be on the right, Luno will be on the left, 185 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:58.759 Kriks would be underneath Chico. Now it seems surprising for 186 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:01.480 a lot of people, including myself, well because Diogo and 187 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:03.559 the amount of money that you've spent on him, it 188 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:05.360 would suggest that he would be the guy that you 189 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:09.360 would absolutely play over Matt Crooks, especially because statistically Matt 190 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:13.480 Crooks isn't anywhere near the respective number tens in Major 191 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:17.519 League soccer. But what he does for the system and 192 00:09:17.559 --> 00:09:19.879 the past before the pass and the runs off the ball, 193 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:23.120 I think have been incredibly important for the for the 194 00:09:23.159 --> 00:09:26.960 setup and the tactical nuance that Pablo wants from this group. 195 00:09:27.960 --> 00:09:30.720 So and by the way, not that he wants to, 196 00:09:30.759 --> 00:09:33.039 but Diogo has been really good coming off the bench 197 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:35.240 and being an impact player, uh you know, in the 198 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:38.320 in the second in the second phase of play. So 199 00:09:38.519 --> 00:09:40.679 all of those things are I think can be real 200 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:43.559 and can be true and still be frustrating. But I 201 00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:46.879 think Pablo has a really good identity of who his 202 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:49.519 starting eleven is, even though he's got to have some 203 00:09:49.559 --> 00:09:52.720 tough conversations about why certain players aren't getting the certain 204 00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:54.679 amount of minutes that they expect at this stage of 205 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:55.080 the season. 206 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:58.279 Tell me what you've seen this year from Diego, who 207 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:00.759 I perceived to be the player in that group that 208 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:03.960 is in the best form right now. Obviously, goals help, 209 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:07.080 and he's scoring goals. The best strike he had a 210 00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:09.440 against Vancouver may have been the one that actually didn't 211 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:12.519 go in and went off the crossbar after like four stepovers. 212 00:10:12.519 --> 00:10:14.399 I mean he's a magical talent. 213 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:14.639 Man. 214 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:17.440 How from your vantage point, Dotty, has he grown this year? 215 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:20.000 Well, I mean I did his game in January when 216 00:10:20.039 --> 00:10:21.919 he was called up to the full men's national team 217 00:10:22.039 --> 00:10:25.759 and he was capped and down in San Antonio. And 218 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:28.360 you know, the joke was he was turning from moon 219 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:31.320 boy to moon man because he was no longer kind 220 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:33.840 of his precocis young talent. Now he was going to 221 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:35.879 be about what can you do at the highest level 222 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:38.399 with the pressure on, the expectation on, and a U 223 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:44.159 twenty two contract that significantly gave him a pay raise. Little. Well, 224 00:10:44.200 --> 00:10:45.720 I don't want to say little by little because he's 225 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:49.679 the same player. But every game he's continued to I think, 226 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:53.240 showcase not only why he deserves to start, but why 227 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:54.879 he should be an all star, why he should be 228 00:10:54.919 --> 00:10:57.840 a contender for the US men's national team underneath new 229 00:10:57.879 --> 00:11:02.799 head coach Mauricio Pochettino. You know the double birds based 230 00:11:02.840 --> 00:11:05.840 on performance he gave the former US under twenty three 231 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:09.039 coach that refused to take him to the Olympics over 232 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:12.320 in France. You know, this is a young man who 233 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:15.519 has dealt with stepbacks his entire life, and the strength 234 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:19.639 and mental fortitude that he has is extraordinary, and I 235 00:11:19.639 --> 00:11:22.399 would agree with you in terms of the consistency of 236 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:24.399 run of form. There haven't been a lot of games 237 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:26.679 where you've seen a dip in his performance. He's the 238 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:29.279 type of player that nobody wants to play against. He's quick, 239 00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:32.039 he's dynamic, he's got a low center of gravity, very 240 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:35.240 very intelligent, great technically with either foot, and he's a 241 00:11:35.320 --> 00:11:37.519 kid that wants to be on the ball as much 242 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:39.840 as possible, and you can see the frustration when he 243 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:41.519 doesn't feel like he can be a part of the 244 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:45.320 solution and finds himself maybe as part of the problem. 245 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:47.799 So yeah, the sky's the limit for this young man. 246 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:51.080 And twenty gold contributions on the season so far and 247 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:53.720 counting heading into the playoffs, I think it's just the 248 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:56.840 start of what we're going to continue to see during 249 00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:58.879 whatever the timeline looks like. With him wearing an R 250 00:11:58.919 --> 00:11:59.480 Sol jersey. 251 00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:01.960 Go back to Chico for a moment, because I haven't 252 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:03.480 been able to catch up with you for the past 253 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:05.320 few weeks and I'm just floored. 254 00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:07.000 Did he still on seventeen goals? 255 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:11.919 I mean, I'm baffled, right, So several dynamics here and Dress, 256 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:15.720 and he obviously had a cool, good thing going. Gomez 257 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:20.200 has gone acclimates to new players. The suspension maybe a 258 00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:23.639 hot star that wasn't sustainable, But how would you characterize 259 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:26.720 exactly why a player that was so red hot has 260 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:28.320 gone so eyes cold? 261 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:32.000 Yeah, I mean it definitely coincides with the suspension for me. 262 00:12:32.600 --> 00:12:34.960 You know, he was supposed to he was up for 263 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:37.120 the not only just starting in the All Star Game, 264 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:39.840 but potentially being the captain of the All Star Game 265 00:12:39.879 --> 00:12:43.600 in Columbus, so you know that, and probably the frustration 266 00:12:43.720 --> 00:12:46.159 handle or embarrassment of having to deal with the suspension 267 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:50.080 in the manner in which it was verbalized or not verbalized. 268 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:54.720 Losing and Dress hurts because I think those two just 269 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:59.039 instinctually understood one another. But I would say more importantly, 270 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:03.440 you know, we saw, you know, we saw even the 271 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:05.919 Siachinka own goal down in Houston where we thought, okay, 272 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:09.000 Chicho's getting got his goal again, here we go, how 273 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:12.240 many posts he hit, how many world class saves goalies 274 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:14.720 have had against them. But I think the one thing 275 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:18.480 to recognize as well statistically, Yeah, that's what we're always 276 00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:20.960 going to focus on. Goals and the fifth from Chicho 277 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:23.039 because he is that good, and he's the captain of 278 00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:25.960 Rial Saw Lake, and he was about to break Calvo 279 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:30.320 Sabario's single season goal scaring record of seventeen goals. He's 280 00:13:30.360 --> 00:13:34.080 still playing well, Spence. I think that's that's the craziest 281 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:37.159 part about this. You know, statistically, he fell off a cliff, 282 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:40.799 but he's still playing really well. So if I knew 283 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:43.559 the solution, I would certainly verbalize that to Pablo and 284 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:46.279 his staff and to chie Cho himself. But I think 285 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:49.919 I'm as dumbfounded to the frustration that he's finding himself 286 00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:50.919 in as anyone else. 287 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:54.360 All Right, So what I have here is about forty 288 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:57.360 degrees a kickoff with the chance of light rain, but 289 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:00.000 maybe no rain at all. You're a guy that played 290 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:06.200 all over the world in extreme conditions everywhere. What yeah, no, yeah, 291 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:09.080 I know, Like, so what what sort of unique challenges 292 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:10.919 does a cold, ready night bring. 293 00:14:12.840 --> 00:14:15.440 Well, it's ideal in terms of you feel like you 294 00:14:15.480 --> 00:14:18.159 can run forever, but you have to get your body 295 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:20.519 right in warm ups and make sure that you're not 296 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:23.440 pulling up. By the way, I didn't know Stevie Rayvaughn 297 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:27.559 was practicing the national anthem behind nice yeah, I think 298 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:30.320 you just got to make sure physically you're prepared and 299 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:32.320 you're and you're warm, because getting through the warm up 300 00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:34.519 is one thing. But then you go back inside to 301 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:37.200 the locker room and then you're standing out there during 302 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:39.320 national anthems, which it sounds like it's going to be 303 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:42.200 a fifteen minute national anthem right now with uh with 304 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:46.600 Stevie Rayvon out here. But then you know, it's about mentality, 305 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:50.519 and right now it's about killer mentality. So you know, 306 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:52.559 you you wear the long sleeves, if you need to 307 00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:55.279 wear the gloves, whatever it is. It's going to be 308 00:14:55.320 --> 00:14:58.120 a cold night and and hopefully, you know, maybe they 309 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:01.639 can mimic the performance they had against in the beginning 310 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:04.000 of the season where the snow was falling, seemed like 311 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:06.120 it was going to be a nightmare, and they absolutely 312 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:08.080 smashed LAFC on the night. 313 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:11.159 All right, Dondy, last thing, then I know you got 314 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:13.840 to go. So I'll just put it like this very simply, 315 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:16.759 RSL gets all three gets a win tonight. 316 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:17.399 If what. 317 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:24.639 Ooh, if they set the tone, and I expect them 318 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:26.960 to set the tone, but I think it's important on 319 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:29.679 a night like this where you've had such a significant 320 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:33.919 break since decision day that you know, effectively what ten 321 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:37.159 eleven days off, that you haven't lost your rhythm and 322 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:39.759 if you can set the tone, I think that is 323 00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:44.240 the baseline of confidence in terms of like the first tackle, 324 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.360 first touch, you know, winning that first header. If you 325 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:50.279 if you set that level of expectation for your teammates 326 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:53.000 and you show that you're up for it. It's a 327 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:56.759 lead by example, like I never needed to hear somebody 328 00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:59.120 tell me as a player, let's go, boys, let's go, 329 00:15:59.240 --> 00:16:01.240 Like I already knew we have to go. So then 330 00:16:01.320 --> 00:16:03.320 how do you get everyone to fall in line with 331 00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:06.919 your leadership. It's it's it's getting stuck in, it's setting 332 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:09.240 the tone, it's it's you know, getting into those those 333 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:12.399 verbal dialogues with the opponents. These are two teams that 334 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:14.919 don't like each other. That's clear and evidence. And you've 335 00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:17.320 got to continue that through the playoffs because in a week, 336 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:19.320 a couple of days time, when you're on the road 337 00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:22.600 in Minnesota on Saturday night, you want to make sure 338 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:25.440 that you that they know psychologically, whether they want to 339 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:28.080 verbalize it or not, that they're in for one hell 340 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:30.480 of a painful game to deal with playing RSL. 341 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:33.159 All right, brother, well, I appreciate the time, have a 342 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:35.120 great call, and I will love to get you back 343 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:35.440 on soon. 344 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:37.720 Okay, sounds good on man, good talking. 345 00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:38.480 Ryan Don Seth. 346 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:40.399 He'll be on the call tonight with Max bred Us 347 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:44.279 as OURSL welcomes in Minnesota for the first leg of 348 00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:47.399 a best of three first round MLS playoff format. They 349 00:16:47.480 --> 00:16:50.360 change the damn thing every year, so I think that's 350 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:52.919 what it is. Do not quobe. Brought to you by 351 00:16:52.919 --> 00:16:55.519 our friends at Flanker Kitchen. Get game day ready. Get 352 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:58.240 Flanker Kitchen and Sporting Club at the Gateway, your ultimate 353 00:16:58.279 --> 00:17:01.000 destination for pro and college for fotball watch parties. 354 00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:02.759 Follow at Flanker. 355 00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:05.400 SLC on socials for exclusive game day specials and more. 356 00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:09.119 Reservations at FLANKERSLC dot com.