WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:03.080 The legend himself, and yes, Donnie, you are legend, Brian 2 00:00:03.160 --> 00:00:05.839 don Seth on a Tuesday afternoon, thank you for the time, Donny. 3 00:00:05.879 --> 00:00:09.480 How you doing, Bud. I'm doing great, Spence, except the 4 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:12.320 fact I'm out here at Churchill Junior High sitting in 5 00:00:12.359 --> 00:00:15.960 the shade watching Micah train and the sprinklers just came on, 6 00:00:16.039 --> 00:00:18.679 Oh dear, and I went into a full panic mode 7 00:00:19.079 --> 00:00:21.160 of trying to figure out where my flip flops were 8 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:24.760 still sprinting and understanding I was waiting just to come 9 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:28.719 on air and trying to dodge these sprinklers that literally 10 00:00:28.839 --> 00:00:31.640 have the power to knock you off your feet. So 11 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:35.520 slightly wet but safe. Nonetheless, I appreciate you. 12 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:37.759 You still have some quickness. Can you still move the 13 00:00:37.799 --> 00:00:39.119 way you did once upon a time? 14 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:41.759 Well, I got a new hip a year ago, so 15 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:43.799 I'm feeling great in the hip department. But I just 16 00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:46.880 had wrist surgery about a month ago, and so you 17 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:51.600 kind of forget how necessary the wrist is when you 18 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:54.520 don't have actual use of it. So when I'm trying 19 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:57.159 to grab my cup, grab my phone, grab my flip flops, 20 00:00:57.159 --> 00:00:59.799 and grab the chair and not get doused in the 21 00:00:59.799 --> 00:01:02.159 same I used to get knocked off my feet. You 22 00:01:02.280 --> 00:01:05.519 realized when you just have one hand, it's a little 23 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:06.760 bit more difficult in real life. 24 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:11.079 I got to follow up when it comes to the 25 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:14.000 new hip, what was the impetus? Because your boy over 26 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:17.280 here might be considering it. Why did you decide to 27 00:01:17.319 --> 00:01:20.159 go through with that? And have you been pleased with 28 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:21.159 the results. 29 00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:23.840 Well, you know me, I've had this back issue since 30 00:01:23.879 --> 00:01:25.760 I retired. It was one of the main reasons why 31 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:28.439 I retired. Uh, And it ended up I was shifting 32 00:01:28.519 --> 00:01:30.359 all my weight to take the pinch off of my 33 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:33.280 back and I just slide, I just literally adjust my 34 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:36.480 weight standing and slide my hip out like slide to 35 00:01:36.519 --> 00:01:39.719 my left, and I burnt my hip out. And it 36 00:01:39.799 --> 00:01:42.719 was one day walking down in Manhattan Beach where I 37 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:45.040 thought I had done my hip flexer, and it was 38 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:49.000 just that last little fiber finally shredded pin and then 39 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:54.239 it just became the most annoying, ruthless throbbing every single 40 00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:57.959 day and every single night. And then that's when I 41 00:01:58.040 --> 00:01:59.799 for me. I went to go see doctor Momberger a 42 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:02.040 talk and he sent me, right, man, it was the 43 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:04.000 best decision I could have possibly ever had. 44 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:06.920 All right, good to hear I'm not there yet, but 45 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:09.080 I don't know that I'm far off. But no, none 46 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:11.120 of our listeners give a rip about our hip issues, 47 00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:13.800 so we can we can move on. Indeed, we are 48 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:18.240 so duddy I am. I'm no expert, and I certainly 49 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:21.520 am not a guy that blames the refs for very 50 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:25.759 many things. But my soccer pee brain says, when the 51 00:02:25.800 --> 00:02:28.319 ball hits the defender's hand in the box, that's a 52 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:32.159 handball and it's a PK. But apparently it wasn't for 53 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:36.879 RSL against Charlotte with Tim Reem there, and of course 54 00:02:36.919 --> 00:02:39.840 a lot of people upset about the no call. You're 55 00:02:39.879 --> 00:02:43.319 always good to like make these complicated. It doesn't seem 56 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:45.400 complicated to me, but you're always good to make it 57 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:48.560 understandable the folks, and maybe don't fully get it, like myself, 58 00:02:48.599 --> 00:02:51.479 Why why wasn't that called? And can you help me 59 00:02:51.560 --> 00:02:54.599 understand what seems to me a very obvious handball in 60 00:02:54.599 --> 00:02:56.520 the box was not to the officials. 61 00:02:56.879 --> 00:03:00.319 The updated laws of the game includes the ditch sense 62 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:04.560 and any type of motion made towards the ball, So 63 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:08.919 for me, that was not a penalty worthy handling of 64 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:12.439 the ball inside the penalty area and I'll tell you why, Bence. 65 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:15.360 And this is where I think Tory pencil could have 66 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:18.680 been a little bit clearer, because there was no attempt 67 00:03:18.759 --> 00:03:22.560 for Tim Reim to make any motion towards the ball, 68 00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:27.520 and what she suggested was natural position of his body, 69 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:30.120 which I do agree. It was well what we wanted 70 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:33.759 to see with situations like this, where it's a hopeful cross. 71 00:03:33.800 --> 00:03:35.719 It's not a cross with purpose. It's not trying to 72 00:03:35.719 --> 00:03:39.759 pick out an open man and a defender who has 73 00:03:39.800 --> 00:03:42.919 no other options. He's not making himself unnaturally bigger. That 74 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:47.240 is a natural defending position. The ball comes off his arm. 75 00:03:47.800 --> 00:03:52.080 What they have adjusted for was the distance in which 76 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:56.199 the ball is struck and then hits the defender's hand 77 00:03:56.360 --> 00:03:59.080 inside the box or his arm inside the box, and 78 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:02.039 that's usually a me you know, a yard or so. 79 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:06.520 And that's been kind of the struggle of the consistency 80 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:09.800 of a call like that continuously being made. I had 81 00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:13.240 the same call or sorry, in the exact same situation 82 00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:18.439 up in Portland last Saturday later that evening, and I 83 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:21.800 didn't think that was a penalty worthy ball coming off 84 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:25.560 the arm. Maybe Spence. This is because I'm an old 85 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:30.240 center back and I don't like the law being updated 86 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:33.240 that every and what we were seeing is just these 87 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:37.000 attacking players whipping balls into the box to try to 88 00:04:37.079 --> 00:04:41.600 purposely hit defender's arms, so then the referee w'd be like, well, 89 00:04:41.639 --> 00:04:45.879 hit ron penalty. They've tried to adjust the laws to 90 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:49.879 understand for a defender, unnatural is putting his arms behind 91 00:04:49.879 --> 00:04:53.240 his back. There's nothing natural about that, so they've tried 92 00:04:53.240 --> 00:04:56.720 to allow defenders to have a more natural position. And 93 00:04:56.759 --> 00:05:00.079 for Tim Reim, he's not making any attempt to make 94 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:03.480 himself bigger, he's not making any attempt to play the ball. 95 00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:07.600 And I listen, I just think the the verbide should 96 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:10.839 have been from that distance, there was nothing he could 97 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:14.079 do about it. He wasn't trying to knock the ball 98 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:16.879 down and take away a goal scoring opportunity. I would 99 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:19.959 hate for that to be called, and I wouldn't want 100 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:22.879 real Salt Lake fans to want if that came off 101 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:27.160 justin Glack, because we've seen them punished for something similar 102 00:05:27.639 --> 00:05:29.240 that they were up in arms and saying well, there's 103 00:05:29.240 --> 00:05:33.240 no way that's a handble, So yeah, for me, it wasn't. 104 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:36.439 It wasn't a penalty worthy handling situation inside the box. 105 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:39.199 But these are a part of the updated laws of 106 00:05:39.240 --> 00:05:42.399 the game. The problem is, Spence. You go back to 107 00:05:42.439 --> 00:05:46.439 bodeh Adalgo's second yellow and where was it San Diego. 108 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:50.240 You go to the Nashville game where the outside bats 109 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:52.560 should have been sent off not once, but twice. You 110 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:55.839 go to New York Red Bulls where Diego Luna was 111 00:05:55.879 --> 00:05:58.879 shown his second yellow. He got his first for verbally 112 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:02.360 saying the magic words the referee. He's shown a second yellow. 113 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:04.480 Then they start playing, Then they go over to the 114 00:06:04.519 --> 00:06:08.639 monitor and pause the game, and then send off Kyle Duncan, 115 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:10.920 who gets a red card, but he's the one that 116 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:14.360 actually committed the foul, but they don't rescind the yellow card. 117 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:17.360 It's like four or five moments where you know the 118 00:06:17.399 --> 00:06:20.759 purists and they'll say, well, hold on a second, Doney, 119 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:22.800 it all equals at the end of the season. It's 120 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:25.439 it's all levels out. It just doesn't. That's one of 121 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:29.399 the biggest bs things I've ever heard for analogy or arguments. 122 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:33.759 So RSL feels as though they've been done dirty for 123 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:37.120 the better part of i'd say probably five or six 124 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:40.199 results now where they felt as though calls should have 125 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:43.040 gone their way. Calls could have gone their way. Calls 126 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:47.079 ultimately didn't go their way. And even the handball and 127 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:50.759 the wolf Zaha throwing a Mecha and Nelly down, I 128 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:53.560 mean that's hands to the nuts or face that's supposed 129 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:55.560 to be by letter of the law, red card and 130 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:58.160 again an unpunishable action where we all saw like saying, 131 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:00.480 hold on a second, when can we have catch or 132 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:01.160 break this season? 133 00:07:01.399 --> 00:07:03.199 Yeah? I was going to ask you about the Zaha foul, 134 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:06.079 but the answer there and a Mecca. He's a he's 135 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:08.879 a big, sturdy kid and he doesn't dive. So when 136 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:11.160 he went down like that, I went, Okay, something's got 137 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:13.480 to give. And then they showed the replay and it 138 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:15.759 felt like that should have been a straight red. And 139 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:19.160 to your point, you know when and I've said it before, like, Okay, 140 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:21.240 the calls will even out over the course of a year. 141 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:24.759 It feels like the thing to say to just avoid 142 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:27.959 talking about the bad calls all the time. So what 143 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:31.560 is what's fair to say about what feels like a 144 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:35.720 very frustrating season so far with the officials when it 145 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:39.480 comes to, as you said, the bottom line results for RSL. 146 00:07:39.560 --> 00:07:42.519 Because the problem I've always had with officials missing calls 147 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:46.079 is they're not, it's not as punitive for them as 148 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:48.439 it is for coaches and players. There are jobs on 149 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:50.800 the line here. If you miss the playoffs, an owner 150 00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:53.240 might be inclined to move you to a different club 151 00:07:53.319 --> 00:07:56.120 or maybe fire the coach. So if you're Pablo, how 152 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:58.319 are you feeling? What's fair to say about these rough 153 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:00.000 whistles RSLs received this year. 154 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:04.800 There's a lot of curse words. I would assume there's 155 00:08:04.839 --> 00:08:08.279 a lot of requests to speak to officials for clarity. 156 00:08:09.079 --> 00:08:12.319 In those requests for clarity, once they do get on 157 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:15.040 the phone or zoom calls, there's probably some more curse 158 00:08:15.079 --> 00:08:19.079 words being said and ultimately nothing will come of it. 159 00:08:20.920 --> 00:08:22.839 I think what we you know, and this is a 160 00:08:22.839 --> 00:08:26.519 bigger part of the conversation between the letter of the 161 00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:30.600 law the application of the law. Ultimately, when when you 162 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:33.559 feel as though you're aggrieved and you're not getting calls 163 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:36.120 looking for the explanation at the end of the day, 164 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:40.759 when we're talking about var Ultimately, the idea was to 165 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:45.720 minimize impactful moments, similar to what we saw with Gierry 166 00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:51.159 Henrie this handball against Ireland and effectively tossed Ireland an 167 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:54.360 opportunity to go to the World Cup. That's what it's 168 00:08:54.360 --> 00:08:57.840 really about. But you know, for all of us that 169 00:08:57.960 --> 00:09:01.320 maybe hoped that there would still be those Monday morning 170 00:09:01.399 --> 00:09:05.000 quarterback conversations at the water cooler, well we're certainly getting them. 171 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:10.600 But we're we're talking about layers of conversations of referees, decisions, 172 00:09:10.679 --> 00:09:15.840 intervention of technology, and ultimately some of the it's the 173 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:22.399 right way to say this, some of the gosh, some 174 00:09:22.519 --> 00:09:24.600 of the human error, I guess. I mean the tech, 175 00:09:24.679 --> 00:09:28.279 the tech itself is fantastic, but where do we find 176 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:31.799 fallible moments? It's it's going to be the application of 177 00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:33.879 the laws of the game and the technology. It's not 178 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:37.440 the tech that's the issue, it's the application. But again, Spence, 179 00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:39.799 you know, we do this thing where we talk about 180 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:43.159 calls that are similar. There's never like the like. They're 181 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:47.639 very rarely like the like situation. So again, I know, 182 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:51.120 these referees, a lot of them, a lot of them 183 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:53.399 are great guys. They're under tremendous amounts of pressure. I 184 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:55.799 know they want to get it right. And in the 185 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:58.320 midst of trying to push for all these younger referees 186 00:09:58.799 --> 00:10:01.840 and to get new blood into the system, there's going 187 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:04.879 to be some learning curve errors. But to your point, 188 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:06.879 I mean, I think that's always been the biggest gripe 189 00:10:06.919 --> 00:10:10.159 of you know, when mistakes are happening and it's costing 190 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:14.559 points that ultimately at the end of the season result 191 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:17.679 in playoff spots or home field advantage. That's where you're 192 00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:21.000 looking for accountability and across the board in sports, very 193 00:10:21.080 --> 00:10:23.720 rarely do you see the accountability from the referees perspective, 194 00:10:24.039 --> 00:10:25.200 at least publicly. 195 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:31.399 So I believe coming up on Saturday, Diego is still suspended, 196 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:36.080 Gozo's out yellow card accumulation, and Williegata is out as well. 197 00:10:36.919 --> 00:10:39.639 So tell me about Minnesota because it feels like they've 198 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:42.480 got to get this one. Doney. There's eight left, five 199 00:10:42.519 --> 00:10:44.399 of them are at home. There are two points I 200 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:47.600 think below the playoff line if I remember correctly. So 201 00:10:47.799 --> 00:10:50.519 coming up this weekend without really three of your main 202 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:53.720 pieces up front, of course, we have seen Ron Cruz, 203 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:56.360 we finally saw the Yo Latunji kid a little bit. 204 00:10:56.720 --> 00:10:58.759 But talk to me about Saturday. Do you feel like 205 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:00.320 it's a must win? Can they get it done with 206 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:01.759 all these players on the sidelines. 207 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:08.559 Yeah, I gotta at this stage is not a player 208 00:11:08.840 --> 00:11:12.120 that Pablo is going to lean on from the opening whistle. 209 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:15.320 It's gonna be Olatunji and it's going to be role 210 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:18.960 on Cruz. They spent too much money to bring them in. 211 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:21.039 And even going back to the Cincinnati game a couple 212 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:24.679 of weeks ago, where it's very evident a Gotta needed 213 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:28.919 six or seven opportunities to score, which is just isn't 214 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:33.279 a good enough strike rate in consistency, you know. Part 215 00:11:33.320 --> 00:11:35.759 of the part of this was also listen, Gozo has 216 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:38.000 been fantastic this year, but there was never a plan 217 00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:41.120 for Gozo to play the amount of minutes he's playing. 218 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:44.480 And I and and I don't know if that's more 219 00:11:44.519 --> 00:11:47.799 credit to Gozo or a more serious concern about Dominic 220 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:52.480 Marshuk because it's been a disaster him trying to replace 221 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:56.879 you know, uh, you know, in any in any way, 222 00:11:57.039 --> 00:12:00.000 shape or form, what we've seen on that right hand 223 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:04.840 inside since last summer. So Luna is a huge loss Gozo, 224 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:08.080 with his athleticism and what he's done this season, huge 225 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:11.120 loss and a big challenge against the Minnesota United team 226 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:16.559 that quite frankly is extremely difficult to deal with, both 227 00:12:16.600 --> 00:12:19.080 with the ball without the ball. They just beat Seattle 228 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:22.480 Founders at home. They've swept them this season. It's the 229 00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:25.799 same team that knocked Oblo and Realit Salt Lake out 230 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:29.240 after losing in penalties back to back in the playoff 231 00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:34.559 formatt last season. They are a team where, and I 232 00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:36.840 say this with the utmost respect Eric Ramsey and everything 233 00:12:36.840 --> 00:12:40.080 they've done, they are a team that is not really 234 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:44.039 that much fun to watch. They know who they aren't, 235 00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:48.240 so they play more towards who they are. They sit deep, 236 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:51.960 they absorb, they hit and transition moments. They've got, you know, 237 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:56.039 fantastic power and pace and intelligence at top. Specific to 238 00:12:56.559 --> 00:13:01.240 Kelvin Yeboa and Tanny Oliva Sahi who they turned down 239 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:03.799 a four and a half million dollar did for coming 240 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:07.360 in during the summer transfer window, and it sounds like 241 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:10.399 they might be bringing in another attacking player, but that's 242 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:14.200 only after last week. Eric Ramsey, their head coach, kind 243 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:20.320 of publicly in the nicest way possible, throttled the decision 244 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:24.360 makers at Minnesota United for not bringing in new players, 245 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:30.279 fresh blood and competition to the roster. So really interesting team, 246 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:33.879 whether at home or on the road. They have figured 247 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:37.159 out how to win games. They win the ugly games 248 00:13:37.799 --> 00:13:39.840 they can turn on every once in a while the 249 00:13:39.960 --> 00:13:43.240 style which makes you kind of sit back and ask 250 00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:46.799 bigger questions as to why philosophically they don't play that 251 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:53.080 way more consistently. But a tough test because they as 252 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:55.879 much as I try to understand how San Diego and 253 00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:59.240 Vancouver have been so consistent this year in the Western 254 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:03.360 Conference the hierarchy of the Western Conference, Minnesota is the 255 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:06.320 head scratcher because I think a lot of analysts in 256 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:10.080 my kind of realm look at them and say, man, 257 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:12.480 they know what they're good at, but they are just 258 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:14.879 not fun to watch. And yet they are one of 259 00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:17.440 the most consistent teams in the West in terms of results. 260 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:20.080 Yeah, they're a pain in the ass, you know, Like 261 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:23.240 they're just you know, yeah, Like every time I watch 262 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:25.480 RSL plan like, man, it doesn't look like a lot 263 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:28.519 of fun to play against Minnesota, but it feels like 264 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:30.759 it's kind of a must win. As I said, tell 265 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:33.320 me what you've seen. So we saw Victor Olatunji and 266 00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:38.519 Rwan Cruz startup top against Charlotte, and of course there 267 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:40.759 were a few opportunities, but it wasn't all that bright. 268 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:44.440 RSL is second to last in the West in goals score, 269 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:46.639 they're tied for third and goals allowed. It's actually a 270 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:49.000 good defensive group. Roth has been so good in goal. 271 00:14:49.480 --> 00:14:51.840 But what have you seen from these two players brought 272 00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:54.279 in by Kurt and his staff during the summer window, 273 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:57.200 and what should we be hoping to see moving forward 274 00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:59.919 based off maybe some things you've heard in training and such. 275 00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:08.159 Right now, I've only seen potential. I've only seen glimpses. Obviously, Kurt, 276 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:15.320 Jason Pablo will have scouted intently on the positions and 277 00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:18.840 the player profiles that they think fit this group. When 278 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:21.679 you bring two players like this in it also, I'll 279 00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:24.759 generally remind people that you have to change the system 280 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:27.360 and effectively go to a four to two to two 281 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:31.240 two to allow those two players to shine, which then 282 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:35.480 begs the question of Gozo, Diego Gonzalveez and Diego Luna. 283 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:38.039 What does that look like from two out of those 284 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:43.879 three specific then the trickle down effect is Ojeda Ameca 285 00:15:44.440 --> 00:15:47.960 and then maybe Paulo Ruiz fits better than one of 286 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:50.879 those other two because the other two are so similar 287 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:53.120 in the four to two three one built up. So 288 00:15:53.320 --> 00:15:57.919 there's expense, there's a lot of questions, and with eight 289 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:02.320 is eightish games left not a lot of time for adoption. 290 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:08.720 So again potential and glimpses of what I've seen, and 291 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:12.279 at some point you know you're you're you're looking for 292 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:18.039 got it a bigger, a bigger litmus test that includes 293 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:21.559 goals and assists or at least generating some really dangerous 294 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:25.200 full staring opportunities, because I can see the potential and 295 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:27.679 I can see the skill for these guys, but they've 296 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:29.360 got to put it. They got to put it together 297 00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:30.720 sooner rather later. 298 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:34.919 One more RSL question that I've got one additional question 299 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:35.879 that I'll set you loose. 300 00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:36.720 Uh. 301 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:41.480 The secondary transfer window closes on Thursday. A little birdie, 302 00:16:41.559 --> 00:16:44.120 cute little Bertie, very little birdie UH informs me that 303 00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:48.039 Pablo was called uh to participate in a potential player 304 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:50.360 zoom call today, which is why you couldn't join us. 305 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:54.399 Are you hearing any other additions in the pipeline for 306 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:56.960 RSL prior to the window closing on Thursday night? 307 00:16:58.200 --> 00:17:01.120 You know, I would say that the two outside back 308 00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:06.799 to the position in need of competition. And my concern 309 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:10.720 is Kalaskin I feel like is being used like a 310 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:13.880 Mecca was a couple of years ago because he was 311 00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:15.359 good enough to get on the field, but he's not 312 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:18.440 good enough to beat out the two central midfielders right now. 313 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:20.839 I think Real Salt Lake has been a week at 314 00:17:20.839 --> 00:17:25.880 the right back position basically since Brooks Lennon and Aaron 315 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:28.680 Herrera left, and I think that's a position of need. 316 00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:32.680 I think they need some experience to know how inside 317 00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:35.400 of our locker room from MS know how inside of 318 00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:38.200 that locker room, because the times they seem young and naive. 319 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:42.640 But the windows still open trail Thursday evening, so hopefully 320 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:45.000 they can, you know, get some work done. They've spent 321 00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:47.759 new ownership as shown. You know, you bring the right 322 00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:51.079 you bring the right product to the table for a 323 00:17:51.160 --> 00:17:55.119 conversation that they're willing to invest. And it seems like 324 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:59.200 the new infrastructure has changed significantly with ownership, which I 325 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:02.839 would suggest as probably a good thing, you know, based 326 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:05.279 on how light the team was in the first half 327 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:05.839 of the field. 328 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:09.279 All right, Donny, before I said you loose, I wanted 329 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:14.200 you to chime in on this odd dynamic between former 330 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:17.400 US men's national team players. And you're included in that. 331 00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:19.559 You were the captain of an Olympic team once upon 332 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:24.240 a time. Yeah, yeah, And these current the current the 333 00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:29.200 irony of the current players, namely Christian Polisik and Timothy Wea. 334 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:32.880 Uh it was it was in a documentary on Paramount 335 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:35.039 Plus that they're trying to get people to watch and 336 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:39.160 they're accusing these former US men's national team players of 337 00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:41.759 looking for clicks while they're doing the same thing. But 338 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:44.720 it really re reeked of a lot of entitlement, and 339 00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:48.640 they came across as babies. Timothy Waya went out went 340 00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:51.920 as far as to call Landon and Clinton whoever else 341 00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:57.400 evil for the criticism that they're you know, levying on 342 00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:59.519 these young players that are currently playing for the US 343 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:02.200 men's nation team. You know this. I know this because 344 00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:04.319 we have microphones in front of our face all the time. 345 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:07.799 It is simply part of the job. And it's disingenuous 346 00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:11.359 to compliment players when the results aren't what we're all 347 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:13.839 looking for. So, as somebody who's in this ecosystem, what 348 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:15.119 do you make of this back and forth? 349 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:21.000 Yeah, no, listen, I had my say on Turner and 350 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:23.000 all in T and T, and I'll be a part 351 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:25.480 of the coverage coming up against South Korea and Japan 352 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:28.319 to the US national team out in New York, and 353 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:32.200 thin Columbus. I'll actually be on the next six games 354 00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:35.400 of the US men's national team at the desk, fork 355 00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:38.759 and t so I will I will have all the 356 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:42.079 inside information that's about to happen and kick down here 357 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:46.119 in the next week or so. Yeah, listen, I'll repeat 358 00:19:46.119 --> 00:19:49.880 what I said at the desk. I think everyone there's 359 00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:51.720 a lot that can be true and a lot to 360 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:54.400 be false. And I think a lot of these guys 361 00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:56.759 can be right, and I think at the same time 362 00:19:56.839 --> 00:19:59.599 they can all be wrong. You know, I come from 363 00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:02.480 a genera of you know, playing with Tony Meola and 364 00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:06.200 Alexi Wallas and Marcello Balboa and Casey Keller and Eric 365 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:08.400 win Alda and John Harts and Tab Bramos, you know, 366 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:12.319 all the outspoken guys. They were critical of the Tim 367 00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:14.839 Howards and the Gucci and ye Wus and you know, 368 00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:17.480 the the Carlos Spokeneggers and the Michael Bradley's and the 369 00:20:17.559 --> 00:20:20.480 Jermaine Jones and the Clint Dempseeason, the Landon Donovals. It 370 00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:23.039 was just a different time. We didn't have the accessibility 371 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:27.640 of TikTok and Instagram and podcasts and video formats, and 372 00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:30.559 you know, usually this stuff was in USA today, or 373 00:20:30.599 --> 00:20:32.799 it was on ESPN, or it was in Soccer America. 374 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:38.279 But the criticism has always been there. Now everything else 375 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:42.160 is different, right, It's it's platforms, it's products, it's vanity projects, 376 00:20:42.200 --> 00:20:46.920 it's people making money, and at the same time, you know, 377 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:50.720 people get sensitive. I really do enjoy Tim Lea. I 378 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:54.079 like him a lot. I was actually really surprised at 379 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:58.359 the determination that he came out with, you know, when 380 00:20:58.440 --> 00:21:02.440 when this project for Paramo Plus, when the boss announced 381 00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:05.240 that they were they were doing this polistic documentary. It 382 00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:07.599 was everything that I always wanted to see because I 383 00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:10.960 wanted to see more Christian's personality. You know, he seems 384 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:15.000 like an introvert and then extroverted on the field, and 385 00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:18.000 there's nothing wrong with that. And this is why I 386 00:21:18.039 --> 00:21:20.279 think what's interesting in all of this is, you know, 387 00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:24.640 Landon and Christian are very very similar in a lot 388 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:27.079 of ways, very very similar in a lot of ways. 389 00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:30.279 So to see them going back and forth with one 390 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:33.920 another is odd. I love hearing the perspective of Clint 391 00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:36.759 Dempsey each and every time I get an opportunity. But 392 00:21:36.839 --> 00:21:41.839 here here's the reality, Spence. I did the numbers, you know, 393 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:45.039 Christian at ac Milan in the last two seasons, was 394 00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:48.240 played one hundred and one games. In the four years 395 00:21:48.279 --> 00:21:50.680 he was at Chelsea, he played one hundred and forty 396 00:21:50.680 --> 00:21:53.839 six games. One of the reasons why he's at a 397 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:57.480 CI Milan playing all these games is very simple. She's 398 00:21:57.559 --> 00:22:01.759 starting every single game and he's playing as many minutes, 399 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:04.960 you know, seventy five to ninety minutes per match. And 400 00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:09.039 he's healthy because he's starting every single game. And I 401 00:22:09.079 --> 00:22:11.200