WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:01.720 Daniel Sperry. What up? 2 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:03.080 How are we doing? Man? 3 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:05.000 You tell me you're the busy one. 4 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:07.400 Yeah, you're a busy one. It's been a crazy week. 5 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:09.640 It's been a crazy week, I tell you that. 6 00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:11.640 How crazy is it? 7 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:14.919 How crazy is it? Yeah? We uh, it's one of 8 00:00:14.919 --> 00:00:16.760 those we It's kind of funny. I had made some 9 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:19.760 jokes at some point when the things were going bad, 10 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.480 like what comes first, are newborn or a Sporting win? 11 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:31.320 And the newborn has won, so that she came early, 12 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:35.039 so that's she kind of cheated a little bit. But yeah, man, 13 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:37.439 it's been it's been a crazy week here in Kansas City. 14 00:00:37.479 --> 00:00:40.640 Won for me personally too. She decided to come on 15 00:00:40.679 --> 00:00:45.520 the day that Sporting parted ways with their longest tenured 16 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:48.479 manager ever. So it's been, like I said, it's been 17 00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:51.840 a wild week here. But yeah, man, things on the 18 00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:58.079 soccer side in Kansas City have been interesting to start 19 00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:00.000 this year, and I think there was a lot of 20 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:02.799 hope and optimism, especially with some of the new signings 21 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:05.359 at the beginning of the year. But as the results came, 22 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:08.920 the pressure. As the results didn't come, pressure ramped up, right, 23 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:15.920 and I think the dam finally broke in that regard, 24 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:20.280 because you know, twenty three was mainly saved by a 25 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:25.319 pretty dramatic and unrealistic and unsustainable turnaround that was really 26 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:29.840 fun to watch but probably wasn't gonna happen again. And 27 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:32.959 you know that's sandwiched by twenty two and twenty four, 28 00:01:33.000 --> 00:01:36.200 which were pretty disappointing. And to start out like this, 29 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:39.439 it's a recipe for what you get. 30 00:01:40.359 --> 00:01:42.840 I know that over the last couple of years we've 31 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:46.359 been kind of looking at it Sporting and it's like, okay, 32 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:50.719 bad start. They make some summer transfer window, you know, pickups, 33 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:52.959 and then here they come. Here comes Zombie Sporting at 34 00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:54.519 a lane eight and they make it into the playoffs 35 00:01:54.519 --> 00:01:56.799 and they make a run. You know, it's it's like 36 00:01:57.159 --> 00:02:00.799 something happens and you're behind the eight ball proverbialate ball, 37 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:02.680 and then something happens and you make the race in 38 00:02:02.840 --> 00:02:05.799 and then everything goes crazy. And it just seemed like 39 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:09.840 up down, up down, up down, up down. And what 40 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:13.719 was the patience level of the fans the last couple 41 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:16.919 of years where you had all of these waves and 42 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:19.759 ebbs and flows, and yes things would finish, but you'd 43 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:22.159 always you'd have to put up with that the rough 44 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:24.840 start and then you make that race to get in 45 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:27.080 What was the what was the vibe from the fans 46 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:29.960 the last couple of years? Taking this season up for 47 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:31.919 a second question, but what was the vibe with all 48 00:02:31.960 --> 00:02:33.719 of the ups and downs coming into this year? 49 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:38.080 Yeah, after after twenty one, I think, you know, there 50 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:43.560 were probably a correct handball decision away from finishing top 51 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:48.240 spot in the West, you know, and maybe not having 52 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:50.039 to play an RSL who knocked them out of the 53 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:54.000 playoffs wouldn't have been in the playoffs if all that 54 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:58.400 stuff had gone correct. So that was a funky one. 55 00:02:58.439 --> 00:03:01.080 And then you have the Alan Palito and Gotti kinda 56 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:04.560 is injured and they think he might be out, you know, 57 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:06.719 for just a little bit, and then it turns out 58 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:09.400 to me the whole season and they never bring anybody in, 59 00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:13.840 you know. Twenty three, they finally get those guys back 60 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:17.280 healthy and things are rolling. But there's that stretch after 61 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:20.639 twenty two. People kind of understood and excused the injuries 62 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:23.039 and they were like it was the feeling of like 63 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:27.039 I don't think we're ready to move on from Peter yet, 64 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:29.840 but there was still some like, look, if things don't 65 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:31.960 go well, we got to start asking questions kind of 66 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:34.599 a vibe from I think the fan base. And then 67 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:36.960 those first ten games happened in twenty twenty three where 68 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:38.719 they didn't pick up a win. There was, you know, 69 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:43.680 three three draws over ten games was all they had accrued. 70 00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:48.919 Three draws, three goals through ten games, and the fans 71 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:52.280 were starting to get restless, and you were hearing you know, 72 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:55.479 Vermes out chance. People were starting to bring signs and 73 00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:58.520 stuff like that, and you know, it made they made 74 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:01.840 the miraculous recover to probably one of the coolest and 75 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:05.879 most electric moments. I felt a children's mercy park. I 76 00:04:05.960 --> 00:04:09.520 wasn't here for any of the of the you know 77 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:13.759 MLS Cup stuff, but and I was here for the 78 00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:16.519 Open Cup final in twenty seventeen and that was really cool. 79 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:20.439 But I think that win over Saint Louis in the playoffs, 80 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:24.279 especially the home win. The loud noise that came from 81 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:26.839 that goal is one of the it's still goosebumps. It 82 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:30.279 was one of the loudest moments I've heard at that stadium, 83 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:32.920 if not the loudest, and the reaction to that the 84 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:34.720 goal that kind of opened the damn. So you have 85 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:37.800 this like really high moment here in twenty twenty three 86 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:40.360 and they lose got a kinda going into twenty twenty 87 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:43.600 four and they never replace him, and so there, you know, 88 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:45.560 there's a lot of injuries, the teams getting a little 89 00:04:45.560 --> 00:04:50.079 bit older, and some things just weren't quite clicking at 90 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:53.759 all last year, and they kind of piecemealed it and 91 00:04:53.800 --> 00:04:58.959 had a decent summer run through the Open Cup, but 92 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:01.399 once they lost the Open Cup final, they really didn't 93 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:05.560 win another game from there on, and it was very downtrodden, 94 00:05:05.879 --> 00:05:09.839 and I think fans really were kind of like, Okay, 95 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:13.560 like we understand you're telling us it's a rebuild. They've 96 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:16.680 told them, you know, it's going to take three windows 97 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:18.839 to rebuild this team. Well that's a really long time 98 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:23.399 in soccer. And so I think my question personally was 99 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:26.600 whether or not they were the result because to me, 100 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:30.319 the result lineup was there for when you dismiss a 101 00:05:30.360 --> 00:05:33.839 manager and a lot of other scenarios and a lot 102 00:05:33.879 --> 00:05:37.399 of other places. I think he doesn't even start this year, 103 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:41.959 and so it was one of those like, Okay, how 104 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:45.680 long is the leash and what does it Even though 105 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:48.439 they've committed they've said we're going to allow Peter to rebuild. 106 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:52.199 We've committed to this, so is six games when they 107 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:55.879 finally cut bait with the project that if the project 108 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:57.560 is how long they say it is, it's kind of 109 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:01.759 in its infancy. And so that was that was my 110 00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:04.920 whole question in this. But I also think there's a 111 00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:08.600 point to where if you're if you're the whole job 112 00:06:08.680 --> 00:06:11.360 here is to win and welcome to professional sports. And 113 00:06:11.399 --> 00:06:14.759 if you're not getting wins, and the windless run extends 114 00:06:14.839 --> 00:06:17.680 so far back into twenty twenty four that it does, 115 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:20.519 then I think that's kind of how that's kind of 116 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:21.199 how we got here. 117 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:26.600 How bad was it this season with Sporting with no 118 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:29.199 no goals, no wins. How bad did it look? 119 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:34.639 It at times looked like there was something there, but 120 00:06:34.920 --> 00:06:38.160 nothing was like clicking into the final thing. And I 121 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:40.000 think that if you go back and watch the game 122 00:06:40.040 --> 00:06:44.480 against Dallas, they didn't look that bad, really they didn't. 123 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:48.439 And they they had some they they weren't creating amazing chances, 124 00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:51.040 but they were they were eating around, they were active, 125 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:54.399 they were doing stuff, and you know, they have a 126 00:06:54.399 --> 00:06:58.040 couple of defensive frailties that concedes the goals and they 127 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:00.759 lose over a two minute period loses them the game 128 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:05.399 when they were thoroughly dominant and really kind of heavily 129 00:07:06.920 --> 00:07:10.160 you know, attacking in that game. And I but there 130 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:13.319 were times there too where the first half of the 131 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:16.399 of that three three draw against Minnesota, I thought they 132 00:07:16.439 --> 00:07:18.519 looked dead in the water. I thought they looked dead 133 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:22.279 in the water with their game against LAFC. There were 134 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:25.199 some other games where I thought they were kind of 135 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:27.600 in it, but I didn't ever really think they were 136 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:29.839 doing enough that was going to win them a game. 137 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:34.800 And so it was kind of this like patience point 138 00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:37.720 of like, Okay, we're we're a month into this season. 139 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:39.839 Now you finally have had a few training sessions with 140 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:45.639 your guys, and it doesn't look better. And that's and 141 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:49.600 I think that that was probably the taking point for 142 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:52.959 the ownership too, where they started coming around training sessions, 143 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:55.160 you know, over the last couple of weeks, to take 144 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:56.720 a look at what was going on and see if 145 00:07:56.759 --> 00:07:58.879 that if a change needed to be made, and ultimately 146 00:07:58.920 --> 00:07:59.839 that's the decision they did. 147 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:02.959 I will admit that we were looking at a match 148 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:06.079 when Kansas City was sporting Kansas City was down three nil. 149 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:07.360 We thought they were dead in the water, and then 150 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:09.040 all of a sudden three goals in twelve minutes and 151 00:08:09.079 --> 00:08:12.759 you're like, whoa, Okay, then there's some there's something there there, 152 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:15.360 But then you don't continue that kind of momentum. 153 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:18.480 Yeah, and that that loss to l a f C. 154 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:21.879 I think was the one that for me, like, you 155 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:25.079 have that game against Minnesota and you're like, okay, cool, 156 00:08:25.240 --> 00:08:28.199 like there's some assign of life. And they followed it 157 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:30.120 up with a big dud against a team in l 158 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:33.279 a FC that at the time looked vulnerable, they looked 159 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:35.960 gettable with the way things had gone for their season, 160 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:39.600 and so you know, they never really threatened them at 161 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:45.120 all on the attack. They were probably lucky to not 162 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:47.679 concede more. They were getting run through the middle of 163 00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:50.080 the field, and you know, that's been an area that 164 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:52.039 sporting has had a lot of issues. And I feel like, 165 00:08:52.360 --> 00:08:54.440 you know, you and I both know the sport well. 166 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:56.559 If you're getting run over in the middle of the field, 167 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:58.120 you're not gonna want to win a lot of games. 168 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:01.159 If your spine is the problem, you're not gonna win 169 00:09:01.159 --> 00:09:03.759 a lot of games. And that's kind of that's just 170 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:06.960 kind of how it was. And you really thought, you know, 171 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:09.279 the player, I'll say this The player vibe has never 172 00:09:09.320 --> 00:09:13.279 been bad per se, but I it's just one of 173 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:15.480 those of like you can see the frustration, you can 174 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:21.840 see confidence at times waiting or you know, coming back 175 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:24.919 in it, and it just it was one of those 176 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:29.120 situations that like you really you really needed them if 177 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:31.120 you were if you were going to feel confident about 178 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:33.080 where they're going after that to get some sort of 179 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:35.799 result or look a lot better against LAFC. But to 180 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:38.120 follow up that three three draw with a dud like 181 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:41.080 that was just kind of one of those big signs. 182 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:44.519 I think Carrie's the Wagnin's now the the interim and 183 00:09:44.759 --> 00:09:46.799 he's going to be the man on the touch line 184 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:52.080 for the foreseeable future. Your vibe on are they going 185 00:09:52.200 --> 00:09:55.879 to be looking for someone here in this year? Are 186 00:09:55.879 --> 00:09:58.320 they gonna sit there and wait and see who's available? 187 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:00.240 I can't believe I'm saying this after six month actually 188 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:02.240 is in a thirty four match schedule. Are they gonna 189 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:05.240 wait until you know, November and see who's available? Or 190 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:07.159 are there gonna Is it gonna be a big gun? 191 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:08.679 Is it going to be a young guy who's gonna 192 00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:11.159 sit there and come in and go I see pieces here? 193 00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:13.440 I can work with this. Do you have any idea 194 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:14.919 as to what the next step can be? 195 00:10:15.559 --> 00:10:18.720 Yeah, I don't. I don't know. I think the other 196 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:21.399 thing here is like that Peter technically held the chief 197 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:26.840 soccer officer role too. Yeah, and for me and I 198 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:29.759 think like for me, I think you get that guy 199 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:35.519 in place before you get a manager. And because if 200 00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:38.200 it if you have someone up top, now that's gonna 201 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:41.759 be vision casting for that in that role in that organization, 202 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:44.600 you got to have someone like they've got to be 203 00:10:44.600 --> 00:10:47.600 in line with the manager. And so what what happens 204 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:50.120 to Like you you bring in a manager and then 205 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:52.960 you bring in a CSO and then that CSA CSO 206 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:55.159 doesn't like how his man, the manager, that he didn't 207 00:10:55.159 --> 00:10:58.600 take his doing, so he gets rid of him. I 208 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:01.519 think Carrie, Carrie has been around the organization so long. 209 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:07.039 I think it's a safe I think it he is 210 00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:09.480 a great interim for the safe, for the way that 211 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:12.240 it's it's safe in the in the fact that there 212 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:15.200 won't be so much volatility while they try and go 213 00:11:15.240 --> 00:11:19.440 get a CSO. I don't think he'll be lockstep with 214 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:23.120 the type of soccer necessarily Vermes played. I don't think 215 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:28.559 I've never felt that Carries and even the other coaches 216 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:32.159 on the staff's opinions have been one hundred percent Like 217 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:34.759 Peter Vermeiz, I think they all do a good job 218 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:38.480 of working together and presenting different ideas all the time. 219 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:40.519 But this is going to be carries opportunity to run 220 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:42.720 the ship, and he might do some things different. So 221 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:44.759 I think there might be a few things that do 222 00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:48.159 look a little bit different, and and he might do 223 00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:51.519 a few different things than Vermes did managerially throughout a 224 00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:55.480 game as well, But ultimately there's not I don't. I 225 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:57.879 think that the most important thing is to get that 226 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:02.600 CSO position filled first before you get a manager, and 227 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:05.440 I would hope personally, I would hope that ownership would 228 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:08.360 think along those lines too, just because then you, like 229 00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:10.519 you just end up with a mess too if things 230 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:12.960 go south with another manager, then you're changing managers. Now 231 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:15.000 all of a sudden, you're starting to do this thing 232 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:17.480 where you're changing managers all the time, and that's not 233 00:12:17.559 --> 00:12:19.480 the greatest spot to be in for a club. So 234 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:23.000 it'll be interesting to see what they choose to do. 235 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:28.559 I think, knowing them, I think they'll probably look domestic, 236 00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:31.919 but I wouldn't be surprised if they if the CSO 237 00:12:32.919 --> 00:12:36.240 that they bring in is someone that, you know, who 238 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:38.960 do they have in their rolodex in a way that 239 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:41.639 can that they know they can kind of execute the 240 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:42.799 vision that they're looking to do. 241 00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:47.440 So Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, juggling both the new 242 00:12:47.480 --> 00:12:50.080 parenthood and putting up with us on the morning show 243 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:53.200 here talking about everything sporting Kansas City. Could you see 244 00:12:54.279 --> 00:13:00.559 a window where the individual that they bring in gets 245 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:04.080 both titles something bre Halty in something, We're haltery in 246 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:07.960 something Bill parcels ish where I want both titles. I 247 00:13:08.039 --> 00:13:10.360 want that kind of control. And you know, Bob Bradley 248 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:14.080 is out there, Gios Avaresa is out there. Would you 249 00:13:14.120 --> 00:13:17.480 anticipate even them looking at somebody who wants both titles? 250 00:13:17.799 --> 00:13:22.480 I mean, I think they could, but they've just had 251 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:26.960 that for the last, you know, decade plus, and I 252 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:31.080 think it I personally, I don't know how many how 253 00:13:31.159 --> 00:13:35.559 much that role and doing those two roles like that 254 00:13:36.120 --> 00:13:40.159 works as much anymore. And I think we're at a 255 00:13:40.440 --> 00:13:42.320 in a place now where I think, like you look 256 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:44.840 at most places across the league that especially those at 257 00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:47.679 the top of the top of the league, those guys 258 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:50.879 are kind of it's kind of top down where that 259 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:56.440 whole structure is. So I think I would I don't 260 00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:01.720 know that they will not do that necessarily if those guys, 261 00:14:01.799 --> 00:14:04.320 If if a guy like Savas is willing to not 262 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:06.759 have that title, I think Geo would be a very 263 00:14:06.759 --> 00:14:09.879 interesting pick. He's a little bit different than for me. 264 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:14.240 He's very fiery, uh but kind in the same in 265 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:18.240 the same ilk that for me was so I but 266 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:20.440 kind of sees the game a little different. And so 267 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:23.159 I think there's some interesting you know, Jim Curtin's a 268 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:24.879 guy out there too, right, like these are these are 269 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:28.200 some big names that are actually available now that they 270 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:33.440 could go through and could go after. But you know, uh, 271 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:37.080 the how do they choose the Cso do they keep 272 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:40.519 the soccer you know ideals in the same structures the 273 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:43.279 same you know as Peter was the one who kind 274 00:14:43.320 --> 00:14:45.720 of set all that up for the club, and so 275 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:48.559 do they follow the road map that he's built or 276 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:54.279 do they completely you know, change things up. That'll be 277 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:58.519 the question there. But I would like to see a 278 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:01.679 little bit of ambition in the managers in the managerial search. 279 00:15:02.759 --> 00:15:07.240 I'm not not that I like Jim Curtin and Gosavasia side. 280 00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:10.919 Some MLS retreads, I think just kind of don't really 281 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.600 give the fan base that idea that you're trying to 282 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:17.000 push the needle. And I think Sporting for so long 283 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:19.159 and when they were great or pushing the needle for 284 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:23.000 the league on the stadiums, on the training facility. You know, 285 00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:25.519 they when they built their training facility here, they were 286 00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:28.720 one of the first in the league to have this massive, beautiful, 287 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:32.159 state of the art, you know, dedicated training facility for 288 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:35.120 that team. And you know, everyone's followed suit after that. 289 00:15:35.159 --> 00:15:37.759 Everyone started building these training centers and you know they 290 00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:40.919 were they came online with that with children Mercy Park 291 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:44.639 and it was kind of a tone setting, uh soccer 292 00:15:44.679 --> 00:15:47.960 specific stadium that now you look back and you can 293 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:50.799 see elements of Children Mercy Park that a bunch of 294 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:54.039 places are borrowed in use. So do they kind of 295 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:57.080 try and push the needle again as a small Midwestern 296 00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:59.960 market or do they try and at least get current 297 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.320 and that that'll be the question. I would. I just 298 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:06.200 think that being a little bit more ambitious outside of 299 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:11.320 an MLS retread would be the way for them. Or 300 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:13.960 you know, some young guy you've never heard about. Might 301 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:17.759 be great, but also could not go great. This is 302 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:21.200 an organization that I think it's fan base is losing patients. 303 00:16:21.480 --> 00:16:26.519 And you have the current now in town at a 304 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:30.600 very large level, competing for dollars with sporting and competing 305 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:33.960 for eyeballs, and they are a fun they are a blast, 306 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:38.120 they win and it's really cool. Uh don't get that. 307 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:40.799 I guess it's a lot of fun there and they 308 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:43.159 need to find a way for themselves to get back 309 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:49.440 into that same conversation of the fun, awesome environment, a 310 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:52.399 great time to be had at the stadium, because ultimately, 311 00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:55.399 the soccer is what's bringing people in, and the soccer 312 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:57.000 has got to start bringing people in. 313 00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:59.360 Again, no doubt, especially when you've got a shiny new 314 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:02.360 River Sits stadium and you're scoring like ninety eight goals 315 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:05.599 in a season and you know, putting everything in the 316 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:07.480 back of the net and just being absolutely nuts. Another 317 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:10.079 couple minutes here with Daniel Sperry as he juggles both 318 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:15.240 the Morning Show and New Parenthood here on SDH. You've 319 00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:17.200 got a lot of player decisions. I've got like three 320 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:18.880 thoughts in my head. I want to try to get 321 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:21.960 as many of them in it's five minutes. You've got 322 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:24.319 a lot of player decisions here at the end of 323 00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:26.359 this particular year, I think we were looking at the 324 00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:29.440 numbers and I think it's like seventeen roster decisions possibly, 325 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:33.599 So whomever the individual or individuals are that come in, 326 00:17:34.039 --> 00:17:37.440 they really can put their stamp on most of the roster. 327 00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:40.000 Even though that you've got the you've got the base 328 00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:42.799 there with the Bishop dejon Jovolica and what you want 329 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:46.559 to try and accomplish with sporting. Let me, I want 330 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:50.000 to ask this about Peter Vermes. Is Peter Vermes still 331 00:17:51.079 --> 00:17:56.680 would you characterize him as even being underappreciated now considering 332 00:17:56.920 --> 00:18:01.920 the market, considering all of the external actors, is he underappreciated? 333 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:02.480 Do you think? 334 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:07.960 Yeah? I think so. I think I think what he 335 00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:11.279 when he took over in Kansas City, you know, the 336 00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:14.920 Wizards were an afterthought even with how bad the Royals were. 337 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:21.240 I mean, the three professional sports were University of Kansas basketball, yeah, 338 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:24.880 the Royals, and the Chiefs, and they were in a 339 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:27.640 city outside of KU. They were in a city of 340 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:33.720 non winners at the time. And their Open Cup, the 341 00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:38.279 Open Cup run in twelve started that the MLS Cup 342 00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:41.359 in thirteen was you know, came before the Royals started 343 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:44.160 being good. They were the city's first winner for a 344 00:18:44.359 --> 00:18:48.720 very long time, and they got people really excited about 345 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:52.720 soccer to the point where we already had the foundation here. 346 00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:57.759 I think for that soccer fervor, that really helped the 347 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:02.400 current when they re established the themselves, because those FCKC days, 348 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:05.079 I think there was still a lot of people jumping 349 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:07.720 on board with soccer, and I don't know that they 350 00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:10.119 were quite ready to jump on board with the nwslum 351 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:12.839 with women's soccer as they were now. But I mean 352 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:15.599 Kansas City for a while was a kind of an 353 00:19:15.640 --> 00:19:20.119 after thought within the whole soccer sphere. And they're gonna 354 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:22.880 be hosting games in the World Cup. And I think 355 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:25.559 a significant amount of that has to do with Peter 356 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:28.559 Vermiz helping not only put the team on the map, 357 00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:36.839 but that he uh like, he brought people into the 358 00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:39.720 game and brought people with the success that they had here, 359 00:19:40.119 --> 00:19:43.480 introduced people to the game, and soccer in Kansas City 360 00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:48.680 became a huge soccer city in part because of that. 361 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:51.160 The stadium, like I said, you know, he was pushing 362 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:55.279 really hard for that stadium. The trading facility for those 363 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:57.799 if you've ever been out here, I highly encourage you 364 00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:59.839 to come out and if you can get out to 365 00:19:59.880 --> 00:20:03.799 the training facility. And like the tour that we went 366 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:06.640 through was guy and when it opened in eighteen was 367 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:10.279 guided by Peter Vermeis, and he had every little detail 368 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:14.400 in that building down to a tee. And when we're 369 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:17.880 sitting there and apart in its construction phase, it's just 370 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:21.119 a dirt lot and gigantic steel beams as they're just 371 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:24.200 kind of erecting the frame of this building, and he's 372 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:26.920 trying a vision cast. Okay, there's three fields here and 373 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:28.680 another field, and there's gonna be ways for it all 374 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:31.079 to be integrated in and on video, and that way 375 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:33.440 we can get everything into the room. And he's vision 376 00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:36.480 casting everything, and there's just so much going on in 377 00:20:36.519 --> 00:20:39.440 the details of like what happens when you walk in 378 00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:42.160 the room with the pool and the hot and the 379 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:44.759 cold pools, and what logo is on what side of 380 00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:48.119 the wall. And I think it's really like he was 381 00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:53.920 so passionate about making soccer the best it could possibly be, 382 00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:56.440 not only in Kansas City, but around the rest of 383 00:20:56.480 --> 00:20:59.000 the world. And I think that is that that is 384 00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:02.119 what makes him under because I don't know because of 385 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:04.720 the market size, I don't know if people, and he's 386 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:06.400 been here for so long, I don't know if people 387 00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:10.000 really got to see and appreciate the true passion not 388 00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:12.519 just for the team, the game, the coaching, but like 389 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:16.119 for soccer period that he had and wanting to push 390 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:18.000 it to be the best. And he was very instrumental 391 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:21.079 in a lot of big things in MLS and pushing 392 00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:24.920 the needle and helping rules happen and rule changes and 393 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:27.440 getting all that kind of stuff going with the stadiums 394 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:31.079 and training facilities. So yes, I think very underappreciated. I 395 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:33.359 do think though it has been good to see that 396 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:36.359 the reaction, like after the news came out for those 397 00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:38.839 that have been around where it was very like, Okay, 398 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:41.319 it kind of sucks sporting them, we're bad, but we're 399 00:21:41.319 --> 00:21:43.440 not going to just keep hounding on for Mes here 400 00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:46.920 like this dude absolutely needs to be praised for the 401 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:49.480