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From causal and seasoned fans to fresh new fans to the game, Casual FC is your Angel City FC podcast previewing all upcoming matches, highlighting what to look for as the casual football fan.
Angela: That was two different songs.
Just kidding.
Mario: And that's the
clip for the beginning.
Welcome to Casual FC, an Angel
City match preview pod, and
two certified footy therapists.
I'm your host, Angel Morales,
with my co host, and from a
house divided, Mario Salazar.
It's
Angela: Hi, everybody.
We switched roles for today.
Mario: But, but, my partner, my pod
partner in crime here is in a house
divided, the, the Dodgers have made it to
the World Series, and so have the Yankees.
Eva,
Angela: it's gonna be one hell of a
Mario: Eva is an
Angela: Can't wait.
Mario: East Coaster through and
through, this'll be interesting.
would
Angela: of fun.
I think our friends and our co my, my co
workers, some of our, the people she plays
with are like, are you two gonna be okay?
alright?
And we're like, yes.
we both love our teams, but
neither one of us think it's
smart to put your relationship
on the line because of sports.
As much as we both love sports, and
that's saying a lot, I'm not, that's
not, That's, and the thing is, is that
we're both big fans of the sport itself.
So like we just want good baseball.
Ideally we both want we want both want
our respective teams to win, but like I
also want really good games, so we'll see.
Mario: you rather have it done
in a sweep, and Amazing sweep,
or do you want to go Game 7?
Angela: like five games, maybe six.
But yeah, I dunno if I could
handle a Game seven World
Series Both of us are just like,
Mario: Both of you just not watching
the TV, just like listening,
what's going on, what's going on?
Angela: okay.
Just staring into the like
boring into the table.
Mario: Well, that's going to be
a lot of fun, at least you get
some post season action, cause
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: in it, and we'll get into it.
reminder, Election Day will be
November 5th, and, the online
registration for California has
already passed by this point.
It was on Monday, but, as Angela has told
you many times before, You can register
the day of, if you're not registered.
Angela: this is incredibly important.
We are one of the few states that
allows for a day of registration
because we're not, well, California
is weird, but we're not like, weird.
we're not question your morals
Mario: It's
Angela: Yeah, just if you haven't
registered to vote, still have
the ability to do a day of.
Just know it's going to take you a
little bit longer to fill out some
paperwork, but it's really easy.
And yeah, it's almost
Mario: almost time.
yeah, you know, we're probably
going to have one No, our
next episode comes out after.
Angela: Mhm.
Mario: No, before!
Angela: Ooh.
Mario: one more.
One more before.
Angela: Yes.
Before.
One more before.
I don't know what day it is.
Who knows?
What's happening?
Where
Mario: Alright, well,
Angela: I don't know my name.
We've switched places.
Mario: this is our special footy
therapy session of our last home
match on Sunday, October 20th,
that we played at BMO versus Utah.
We will get to the thoughts
and feelings on that.
There is a little bit of some music Chaos
Award and News, and tell us why we have a
random week off at the end of the season
Angela: Yeah.
So right before we hit record,
Mari and I were both complaining
that we don't know why Yeah.
There's a week off.
what, what is this?
What's the point?
And then I was like, oh, it's
because of the national team game.
And he goes, no, it's
because of champions cup.
No, it's because of this.
And I was like, it's a summer cup.
It's a challenge cup.
It's the thing that we kept forgetting was
a thing nobody remembered it was a thing.
so yeah, it's that thing.
It's a summer cup for me, Neil.
It ends this weekend, or
next weekend, this week.
I don't know.
It ends soon.
I don't know when.
I don't remember.
Kansas City and Gotham
are playing in Texas.
I don't know.
go bats, go current.
Cool.
Good.
Have another game, guys.
I don't know what to tell you.
But I hope if we do an in season
tournament, it is something very
similar to the Commissioner's
Mario: to any other in season
tournament that any other league does,
Angela: where it impacts, yeah, it
impacts your overall, it counts towards
regular season and also other cool stuff.
just stop
Mario: don't, I mean, honestly, when
it comes to in season tournaments,
things like that, I don't care if
it counts for the regular season,
Angela: Same.
Mario: that's, that's not the point of it.
Angela: games that don't mean anything.
Mario: Yeah, well, I mean, don't
make the, don't make the in season
tournament not mean anything, right?
it's just, if you're just doing it for,
for shits and giggles, like, all you're
doing is putting players at risk, right?
Angela: Exactly.
Mario: but
Angela: Exactly.
Mario: you're going to do an in season
tournament, Make it self contained.
Make it an in season tournament.
don't do this stupid summer
cup ending in October.
Angela: Yeah.
I don't know.
It's weird.
I'm just glad it's almost over.
But that's why we're having this bi week,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: the to last week of the season.
I don't know.
Whatever.
It's, it is what it is.
Mario: We'll, we'll send,
Angela: not even the Chaos
Mario: we'll send, we'll send the
NWSL one of those, hang in there
kitten poster calendars for 2025.
Maybe they can get,
Angela: The ones you would get at
the Scholastic Book Fair, where it's
Mario: yep.
Angela: Or from like a insurance agent.
Mario: Yeah.
Or Cost Plus World Market.
it's just these, yeah.
So that they can plan their shit
out for 2025 and actually do,
a well thought out schedule.
Angela: honestly, I don't
think it should be that hard.
Mario: honestly, it's not that hard.
Well, okay, it's hard, but still, it's
not that hard because that is your job.
That's the that's one of the few
things you're supposed to do.
Angela: as somebody who schedules for
a living and deals with many different
things, what people are available, trucks,
equipment, like all kinds of stuff.
I know, I understand
Mario: logistics, yes.
Yes.
Angela: There's logistics involved.
I get it.
But
Mario: Look, if you,
Angela: something's
Mario: if you can't plan this shit
out now, what are you going to do when
you add two more teams in two years?
Like it's just going to
get more complicated.
So all right, whatever.
That wasn't even the chaos award.
Angela: Now, so this week's Chaos
Award, up, I should say, the
runner up starts with Sergii,
who was the head ref for Sunday.
And that just, if you were
there, you know, it's, this man
could not get out of the way.
I don't know if you noticed that too.
He was in the way
Mario: Oh yeah,
Angela: important
Mario: yeah, he was,
Angela: Every single one for both teams.
He just was like, get,
Mario: I wanted, I like, we're,
we're out of the playoffs.
at this point we get a
red card, doesn't matter.
One last game and okay, whatever.
I just, I wanted one of them
to just punt that ball at it.
Angela: I know I just wanted somebody
to yell at him and be like, what are you
Mario: I'm not, I, I don't condone
violence, refs are humans, they can
be shit at their jobs but they're
still like, there's no, there's no
Angela: some
Mario: call for any type of violence.
Whatsoever.
I heard,
Angela: but if they got hit by a ball
in the run of play, that's not my
Mario: that's not my part.
Angela: Because you know what?
That means they were in the way.
Mario: I heard,
Angela: And as somebody who got cussed
out by two different people today
at work for dumb stuff, Fight me.
I'm not, I'm not in
Mario: I heard someone in my,
around my section, like I, it was,
it was stupid banter.
almost to the point where I was going
to turn around, there was other things
that pissed me off about this person.
I, I don't think they're, I don't
think they were season ticket holders
near me cause I don't recognize them.
but he said something to the effect of,
see you in the parking lot or hope you can
walk safe to the parking lot, whatever.
Very much in the realm of banter, but
then also don't yell shit out like that.
Angela: Yeah.
And that's
Mario: That's that's more of a threat.
Angela: in the lobby, that's a WNBA joke.
That's not a NWSL joke.
It's different.
do you know about see
Mario: No, I don't know.
Angela: I don't think you do.
So in, during the Wubble,
Mario: Okay.
Angela: WNBA season, was
staying in the same place.
Like they're
Mario: Yeah.
They,
Angela: teams were in,
Mario: they're in, in the bubble.
Yeah.
Angela: During one game, the Phoenix
Mercury, and I don't know, I don't
remember who they were playing,
Diana Terazzi, the GOAT of all GOATs.
The Goat of All Goats because
she's played for 20 years.
We don't know if she's retiring and
there's a caveat because I think there's
a few different goats at different
positions because they don't feel
like you can give a goat overall.
Anyway, that's my like, don't come at me.
But I love DT.
But she is known for being very sassy.
And she looked at one of the referees
after she missed a call and just
goes, I'll see you in the lobby.
And walks away.
It was the best thing.
Honestly, that summer,
basketball was Top 10.
Top 10 for me.
But to the chaos award, because I'm
already bringing my own chaos to this.
the, golden boot winner,
Mario: Holy crap.
Angela: Tema Chawinga has
officially scored against all 13
opponents in the single season.
Mario: is insane.
Angela: players have done it across
years, across different seasons,
like being on different teams.
No, one team, one
Mario: First year.
Angela: she said, screw all y'all,
I'm the best, and just made sure
we all knew it, and everybody did,
and everybody felt that pain, at
Mario: Jeez.
Fuck.
Angela: times, across
Mario: Yeah, one season, one team,
Angela: season.
Mario: year.
Her first year in the league.
Angela: I remember watching her that first
matchup, like the first opening weekend
when Kansas City played in their stadium.
I And I was just like, oh, shit.
Oh, no.
We knew she was so good.
Like I talked about it last
season, like for the the World Cup
and like all this kind of stuff.
But it was just like, oh, no.
This is so good and somehow so bad.
Mario: it's gonna be good for everyone,
but also bad for everyone, score wise.
And it was.
Angela: yeah.
She, she has just had a hell of a season.
I'm so happy for her.
I'm happy for Kansas City fans.
Like this is something that, this is one
of those moments where I love sports and
I love the things like this that happen.
Oh, you want to break a record?
Sick, sick, sick, sick.
This is the best thing.
So
Mario: mean, technically Orlando can still
break their own, they've tied the record,
they can still break it with this team.
Last game.
I mean, they lost again, but still,
Angela: But they also didn't
play half of their starters.
Like they're resting people.
They are making,
Mario: going to make a push.
They're going to make a push.
Angela: Yeah.
And that's the thing.
There's, they don't need to win out.
You want, you don't want to go
into the playoffs undefeated.
In general, you don't.
Streaks are made to be broken.
Streaks are dangerous when
it comes to the postseason.
cause everybody's like, Oh,
you've won 20 straight games.
Not tonight.
You know, like everybody has a chip
on their shoulder because of a streak
like that, but around the league this
weekend, a couple of high scoring games,
a lot of goals were scored overall.
the rain beat the Dash 2 1,
Kansas City beat San Diego 4
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Racing, who's
had their, this little.
We're gonna try and make it to
the playoffs, come hell or high
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Beat Portland 1
0 to help their hopeful
Mario: Yeah.
They needed, they needed to
win to even have a chance.
Yeah.
Angela: yeah, so they won 1 0.
Bay FC won 1 0 over the Courage.
Those two matches are what
kicked us out of the playoffs.
Thanks, guys.
the one timeout we want Portland to win.
Mario: Yeah.
They can't.
So once I,
Angela: They,
Mario: the few times we needed like
Portland to win, we needed Orlando to win.
yeah, nah.
Thanks.
Thanks everyone.
Angela: like nah.
the Spirit beat the Red
Stars two to nothing.
Gotham beat Orlando three
to one and we played.
We'll talk about that a little
Mario: And then, just to check
out the standings, the playoffs
are set pretty much, 7th, 8th,
and 9th are still in contention.
Thorns and Bay are already on 31 points.
Racing has a max of 31 points,
so Thorns and Bay, all they have
to do is draw in their respective
matches and they're through.
If either one of them loses and
Racing wins, they're through.
wins, they go to the tiebreaker.
Now the only team that they're doing
better with in the tiebreaker is Bay.
So if
Angela: Ooh,
Mario: have a racing has a
minus four, Bay has a minus 11.
We would have had a better goal
differential if I came down to it.
Okay.
But if the Thorns end up losing,
they're most likely going to stay in
because of Goal differential, because
racing won't be able to make that up.
I mean, if they do, holy crap,
everybody should be watching that game.
But,
Angela: 15 points.
Mario: but if so really the only ones in
contention that racing have a possibility
of catching would be Bay if Bay loses.
Beyond that, racing's virtually
out from there and Thorns and
Bay are the last two teams.
So we have Pride in first place,
Spirit in second, Gotham in third.
3rd, The Current in 4th, Courage, Red
Stars, and then those two, Thorns in Bay.
Now
Angela: yeah,
Mario: there still can be a little
bit of flip flopping in between,
but Pride, Spirit, Gotham, and The
Current all have home field advantage,
so all of their first, first round
playoff matches have already been set.
And they're still even I was
Angela: where they're gonna
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: NWSL, well, they all play at home
and they all, NWSL even posted, well, they
all play at home and they all, Gotham vs.
TBD, Pride vs.
TBD,
Angela: Tibideh plays,
Mario: for it that just say TBD,
Angela: Yeah.
Yeah.
Hopefully they have a deep bench.
Mario: the bright side, we
can't win the wooden spoon.
Angela: Which, okay.
Please let us know know what this means
before Mario explains it, because I have
literally never heard this term in all
the years I've played sports, all the
years I've watched sports, everything.
never heard I think it's fake.
Mario: the wooden spoon is a ceremonial
award, mostly ceremonial, there are a
couple of leagues that like, literally
give a wooden spoon, but it's the award
for the worst team in the league, so
at this point Dash is, has a, Actually,
no, the Wooden Spoon hasn't been
awarded yet because the Wave are on 22.
The Dash could possibly get 23.
So there's a world where the way the
Wooden Spoon hasn't even been awarded yet.
So it is literally the last place team.
I was just reading the Wikipedia
about it just before this.
And the MLS does have a pretty
extensive like Wooden Spoon
kind of background to it.
My favorite part about What I was
reading in the Wikipedia, though,
and I think you would appreciate this
for, shitty ass ownership, is, it
says that in the, supporters, renamed
the Wooden Spoon the Anthony Precourt
because
Angela: Is he a shitty
Mario: He's a shitty owner.
He, Precourt is the shitty owner
of the Columbus crew that wanted
to take the crew to Austin.
He, you don't do that.
Angela: has a huge, there's a
big soccer following in Ohio in
Mario: There is, and,
Angela: support Cleveland Pro Soccer.
Everyone, go
Mario: yes, go support, go
support Cleveland Pro Soccer.
There's actually a really great, Copa 90
documentary on, on how, the fans basically
rallied to save, the Columbus crew.
And.
Angela: Good for them.
Mario: Precourt eventually sold
the team to local ownership.
They kept the team.
Angela: You know who else should do that?
The owner of the Oakland A's.
Mario: Yeah.
I mean, dude, like when
you can't move Oakland.
Angela: No.
Mario: my, my big thing
about American football too.
It's just like the Raiders and
the Rams were have been like
all over the fucking place.
And it's just
Angela: Not even, just back and
Mario: yeah,
Angela: Oakland, L.
A., Oakland, L.
A., Oakland, L.
A., Vegas, and then it's St.
Louis, L.
A., St.
Louis, L.
A.
That's it.
Mario: it's so stupid.
Angela: at home.
Mario: It's so stupid.
So yeah, so and then,
Angela: it.
Mario: then, yeah.
Pre court, one of the reasons he was
trying to move the team to Austin is
because he got the, he got the franchise
or he was going to get the franchise
to open in Austin, so he wanted to
move his existing team to Austin.
I believe that's what it was.
Either way, he sold the team, he
created Austin FC, in Austin with,
McConaughey, and so he's down
there, but he's also fucking hated.
He's, he's hated the way,
I wouldn't say as much.
But in the same vein of the McCourts.
Please come to, please come
to YouTube, please come
Angela: about them.
Big feelings.
Mario: to YouTube to see Angela's
reaction live on TV, live on YouTube.
Angela: on grumble.
Yeah.
Woo.
Mario: alright, so that's,
that's where we're at.
go, okay, back to NWSL.
Bright Side.
There's no way we can win the Wooden
Spoon because we're just above that
even with our points deductions, whoo!
final weekend qualifiers, like I said,
Portland and Bay, they're fighting for 7th
and 8th place, and, racing can squeak in
if something weird happens, there you go.
Yeah, even though we got eliminated.
Angela: old
Mario: Before the game.
We got eliminated on Saturday.
Angela: Saturday.
Everyone was texting me so sad.
Are you still going to go to the game?
I'm
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Duh.
I'm an iron fan.
want to say it for the first season.
I got to be an iron fan.
And I'm upset that I didn't, I didn't, I
don't think I filled out the survey you're
supposed to fill out because I forgot.
I don't know.
Whoops.
But I don't think you should
have to fill out a survey.
They should just say, hey,
are you making the game?
We're going to have you do a cool
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Because you know what I
would have loved to do and easily
would have cried on the field?
Is be, like, be somebody
handing flowers to somebody?
come on.
Pick me, please.
Anyway, we played a BMO on Sunday Utah.
It was a draw, a 1 1 draw.
It was a bonkers ass game
for a variety of reasons.
Mario: the reasons we really want
it to be a Bonkers esque game.
Angela: no, it was a bonkers ass
game because what was the first half?
There were three yellow cards against
us because of Sergii, and, Serge
needed to chill, because Serge kept
getting in the way, and Serge was
making dumbass calls, and I don't
think he knew for the first half that
you could just call a common foul.
Just toot toot
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: and okay, on.
Oh no, you breathed on someone different?
Yellow card.
But then Sarah Gordon kind
of bodies, what's her face?
her name starts with an L.
Hang on, somebody said it.
Lacasse.
she bodies her into next week.
gets stretchered off.
Sorry.
that was not but also not a yellow
Mario: I, yeah, I, I, from where I
was sitting, I saw that, that body was
shoulder to shoulder, at least from
where, I haven't seen the replay or
anything, but it, it looked straight up
shoulder to shoulder from where I was at.
Angela: Yeah.
It
Mario: The result.
Angela: No.
Mario: Utah was employing the
dark arts from the very beginning.
As soon as they scored, they were
like You're gonna get CONCACAF
today, and they were employing,
Angela: That's what it was.
It was a CONCACAF
match.
Yes, that's it.
The referee, the shenanigans on the pitch,
Mario: yeah, and like, when, when
she got bodied, I was like, boom,
especially because Sergii didn't,
didn't, call it, and I was like,
finally, something right, and then we
start playing advantage, and then he's
oh, no, wait, she's hurt, and then,
Angela: Oh,
Mario: and then I'm in my seat,
and I was like, oh, come on.
That's bull.
And then they bring up the
stretcher and then I'm like, eh,
Angela: I'm so sorry.
Mario: I hope she's okay.
Angela: like that.
Yeah.
Mario: So
Angela: Like, I swear every time I
blinked, like I was, I'd be watching,
I'd you know, kind of stretch a little
bit and take my eyes off the pitch.
Somebody fell over.
Mario: it was
Angela: And we've talked about this
before, and I'm, I was gonna wait
to talk about it and try to avoid
talking about like, legit at this
point, there are certain referees in
this league that I think need to take
like a, are you racist 101 class.
Because, and I've seen it in
matches not Angel City involved.
So, like, I just want to, I'm not just
saying this because of Angel City,
I'm saying this because it's bullshit.
there are teams are not like,
that are not predominantly white.
City being one of them, Orlando,
Mario: teams with some melanin.
Angela: exactly, Gotham, Chicago.
Mario: Teams that can play in the sun.
Angela: teams that don't have to get
reminders to wear, well, they should get
reminders to wear sunscreen because some,
Mario: Everybody, everybody.
Yes.
Honestly,
Angela: everybody.
But, are teams that I have seen just
get hammered for playing normal, but
they are not predominantly white.
And it's like the same few people
that do this, the same few referees.
So I'm just saying that maybe a formal
investigation needs to happen because
it's some bullshit and I don't think
it's fair for anybody in the league
and it's detrimental and stupid.
Mario: the,
yeah, there was a lot of
complaining in the discord.
There was a very apparent.
obvious calls that he wasn't making
and then he was calling other
things that were completely stupid.
so I think the combination of him
plus the dark arts, because like
the one that pissed me off so much
the, the ball went out, and I,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: okay, this happened right
in front of me, ball went out,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: don't know how, the Utah
players still had it, or had it in
their, on their foot, like they,
they still had the ball, maybe it
like just bounced back or something,
Angela: just like went.
Mario: and she had it in her foot, on
her foot, because she had it right there,
and they said it was an Angel City throw,
Emsley goes right to the spare ball
on the side, grabs it and is about to
throw it in and the Utah player is just
like I still have the ball right here.
What are you doing?
You can't play this.
And,
Angela: was so
Mario: and that was another moment
where I was like, you know, Claire,
if your release was a little too late.
Yeah.
Angela: Sorry, my left like, forgot
that it needed to throw and I just
threw
Mario: sorry.
Sorry.
We were practicing as goalies, during
practice and, and I was in that mode.
Angela: yeah.
But, Utah scored, how do you
say, how do you say her name?
Zornoza?
Mario: mm hmm, mm
Angela: know.
I don't know which
syllable has the emphasis.
But she scored in the 21st minute.
I didn't even know that, honestly,
I didn't even see the ball going.
I thought it had on the side of
the goal from the angle I was
at, and I was like, wait, what?
Why are they celebrating?
And Eva was like, wait, that in?
Like, we had no, we were shocked.
After halftime, we came back out
looking like a whole different team.
And Syd had an amazing banger
of a goal in the 57th minute.
I think it was Angel City.
I don't know.
Maybe it was an NWSL account that posted
the sequence of pictures where she's like
Mario: hmm,
Angela: up
and down it was so good.
so good.
Mario: OK, it was a beautiful goal.
I'm not taking anything away from this
goal, because you know, we, you know
me, we love, we love us some, some Syd.
Let's define banger.
Does banger have to be like
Straight in, just like a rocket,
because this wasn't a rocket.
This was a beautiful, this
was a beautiful, midair chip.
Angela: Yeah.
It
Mario: It wasn't quite a karate kick
because she didn't extend, but she
did jump up in the air and then,
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: it.
And then, you know.
Angela: a half a chip, half a banger.
Like it was, it was a
banger because it was cool.
That's, that's also, bangers
can also just be cool.
Mario: Okay,
Angela: was cool, but it was a
little bit of a chip, but it was
just a little bit of a cool goal.
like, what do you call a
cool goal besides cool?
Mario: it's a cool goal.
It's a cool chip.
Angela: But it
Mario: It's
Angela: it was like a, it was a big chip.
It was like when you first open
the bag of chips, you get like
that big fat one that's like the
size
Mario: the one from the
middle of the potato.
Angela: exactly.
Mario: a
Angela: Um.
Mario: cut.
That's what it's called.
It's gonna be called, no,
Angela: Oh my
Mario: off the rails.
Okay,
Angela: Uh,
Mario: there were other good
things that happened in this game.
How,
Angela: good things.
We got to celebrate Christen
Press's 100th NWSL appearance.
Through a shit ton of smoke, because
there was nine billion smoke bombs set
Mario: why, why Vin,
Angela: it was, you couldn't even
see from the east side of the
stadium, you couldn't see anything
that
Mario: no.
And then the, the performer come, comes
out through a, just like a wall of smoke.
Like you can't see shit.
I'm surprised.
They were able to see anything.
Angela: I'm I'm concerned.
I don't understand what
was happening pre game.
I know we were supposed to have a
live performance of the walkout song.
That was not live.
Mario: It never is.
Angela: I'm not saying it needed
to be, but you could just, that's
when you say a performance.
Performance of this, not, not,
because live means the mics are hot.
This mic is hot, those mics were not.
Mario: yeah, it's,
Angela: No, and it, it,
Mario: it's a great song.
My, my daughter was like, I, she
even commented after the game that
she really liked the song that
the, that the players came out on.
She liked that song, so
I'm like, alright, yeah.
It is a, that's, it slaps.
It's a banger.
Angela: It
Mario: It's a
Angela: It's a
Mario: It's a B Jesus.
It's a center cut.
That's what it is.
Angela: But no, it was fantastic.
Toosie Prescott, the acknowledgement.
Mario: ass jersey with the 100 on it.
Angela: yeah, 100 Jersey.
Tobes was there.
Uh, her dad and her sister who just got
married last weekend, which is super cool.
A big weekend for the Press family.
yeah.
But yeah, congratulations.
It's a feat, especially, she
should be closer to 150 now,
Mario: It, yeah.
Given,
Angela: course
of
Mario: yeah, she would've hit, she
would've hit this milestone, like first
the, by the end of the first year.
That was the first season.
Angela: first
Mario: yeah.
Angela: but we are where we are.
And I'm so happy for her because it
means that she's back and it happened.
And that's the important part.
After Oh God, I'm gonna cry.
This weekend was filled with With
retirement, and retirement to injury
and illness and degradation of bodies
that shouldn't necessarily have happened
the way they did because of how things
were handled or weren't handled.
There were many send offs this
weekend, Kelly O'Hara, is the one
that comes to mind because, like,
it made me cry during the game to
see half of the 2019 team there.
Like, it, it,
Mario: I, I,
Angela: weekend
Mario: I,
saw the re
Angela: for anyone who's followed
Mario: I saw the retirement announcements
and all I can think about was.
One, that we're going to be doing
a retirement retrospective again.
Angela: Big season,
Mario: and, and
Angela: I'm just
Mario: two, just like the emotion
that is going to go through you.
Because again, I'm newer to NWSL,
so like a lot of these players, them
retiring, I don't know their history.
I didn't know
Angela: Right.
Mario: Merritt's history.
I didn't know that she's basically
been here for the entirety of the NWSL.
So
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: was, you Cool to
learn and be like, holy shit.
Angela: moment.
Yeah, and there's so much about Merritt
that people love or people hate, and for
various reasons, know people who love her
as a person can't stand to watch her play.
I know people that don't like her
vibe but love to see her pitch.
Like, there's, she is
polarizing in the best way.
Because a player like that has
to be good in order for people
to feel emotions like that.
They're not just fine.
Like, Like, Merritt and I hope I get to
have a conversation with her one day,
but will do my best not to bring this up.
Like, there's an interpretive
dance the internet based off of
a dramatic reading of her post
Mario: We posted it up at one point.
I think we did.
Angela: And
Mario: I think we did.
Yeah.
Angela: and we're not
going to do it again.
We're not going to do it again, out of
respect, but a lot of her retirement was
not by choice, and it was very apparent.
A lot has happened this season, a
lot happened with her last season,
and her body was not responding to
getting better due to diagnoses.
Like it was just one of those things
insult and injury and illness and
then we do it again and we do it again
and we do it again been in that cycle
and walking away like that sucks.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: It's unfinished business
for the rest of your life.
Honestly.
Mario: does.
It does feel when.
It feels, I think it
would feel horrible for
that forced retirement, that, that,
you know, the, the idea of leaving on
a high note and end on your best joke,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: you don't get to do that, then,
you know, there, there's a little bit
of, of resentment, but I'm, I hope that,
Angela: I walked away 18 years
ago and I hate it to this day.
Mario: I, I just hope that
these players have found.
Some, sense of closure,
some self, some sense of,
Angela: peace
Mario: peace with it.
I mean, it's something that,
because it was, because for various
reasons, medical, you know, whatever,
body breaking down, whatever it may be,
um, It's something that
didn't happen yesterday.
Right?
It wasn't like they tore their
ACL yesterday and was like, Oh,
well, shit, there goes the year.
Or there goes my career.
Angela: I mean, some
Mario: Yeah.
But
knowing that this might be the
eventuality, hopefully that's something
that they kind of came around to.
So I'm hoping.
Also, I mean, the team, like you
said, she's a big Respected and
loved member of, of Angel City and
of, on the team side and from the
fan side, the entire team basically
did dress as your favorite Merritt
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: their,
Angela: Yeah.
Like, what's your favorite Merritt outfit?
Which was fantastic.
Mario: go back, if you haven't seen
it, go back to the, to the Angel City
Instagram and, and look at those pictures.
They're, they're great.
They're amazing.
Angela: Yeah.
But aside from that, the other reason
I cried, kind of, um, thank you to
everyone who decided to run around
the stadium during halftime to FC
meetup behind section Like, yeah.
It was silly.
It was crazy.
I was overwhelmed.
And then I was trying not to cry.
And I just, I love it.
That's
Mario: was, it was really great to.
Thank you so to see people, especially
since we, threw it out there,
that morning, Sunday morning, when
we were like, should we do this?
We didn't even know what
the section number was.
We had to look it up to be like,
this open space right here.
So it was very much an impromptu
thing, and for everybody that was
able to make it, thank you so much.
We got to see familiar faces,
met new faces,
Angela: met some people in
Mario: in, in real life,
Angela: in person,
Mario: met, met a really nice woman that
took our picture and I keep her stickers.
so it was, it was just a really awesome
time and, thank you, honestly, like
we're, we're going to get gushy on a like
recap of the season and end of the year,
Angela: on a different
day when I've like already
Mario: yeah.
Angela: So just like come in with
the sniffles and like swollen eyes.
No, Ethan gave me a hug and just
said thanks for letting me be weird.
And I was like, okay.
I like it when people are weird.
Mario: And speaking of weird,
Let's get into our thoughts and
feelings about this last one.
the prompt was, We didn't lose our
last match, so Is there a bright side?
And I think I left it kind of vague
in the, What the, we didn't lose
our last match was the right side
or what were other bright sides?
So any way you answered was
the correct way to answer.
And Ethan comes in, our funny, weird
haiku master, in response to something
Angela said on the discord about,
we're going to the championship,
Angela: are going to the ship.
Mario: in reference to
Angela: about
Mario: Dodgers.
he said one, one day the,
we are, we'll be Angel City.
One day, if
Angela: Exactly.
And he's
Mario: I'm not wrong,
Angela: I fully
Mario: we, we have the talent,
it's there and we will find
our way, it's, it's all good.
so our haiku for this last home game,
all the hope was lost, Bay was a sub,
taking dives, next year, taking names.
Angela: Honestly, I think there will
be an official casualty ref shit list
based on what everybody,
like our collective
Mario: Throw up the red,
Angela: as a
Mario: throw up the red flag whenever
we see that announced, ah, crap.
Get, get ready with your booze, people.
All right, Katy, lovely pod friend Katy.
I love that 20, 000 people showed
up for our last game regardless
of playoffs and our sucky season.
Also, suck it, ref.
Looking at you, Sergii.
yeah.
Zach said, we didn't lose.
Spicy words for the ref.
We gave away way too many balls.
And Syd equals banger boop scoop.
There you go.
It's a boop scoop.
I'll accept boop scoop
instead of center cut.
It works better.
Angela: Yeah.
It's a boob scoop.
Mario: Jordan came in with
a fun second half, refs
notwithstanding, and then sad face.
Angela: Is that a sad face or a side
Mario: a sad face.
No, it's a sad face.
It's like a, hmm.
Angela: oh, I, I consider that like,
Mario: Mmm.
all right.
Myrna came in with just
Syd's amazing goal.
That's it.
And then Jeff came out with a
lovely, nostalgic, check the DMs.
and Brightside, question mark, Leroux
keeps making only goals that she can make.
The Thompson sisters,
Angela: true.
Mario: cooking.
And they were on one yesterday, like
they, or Sunday, they were just,
they were in twin mode, like twin
superpower mode, where it was just
like, we can talk to each other.
Angela: playing on the
same side, they were just
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: froop, froop, just weaving.
And I'm like, I need more this.
Like pump it in
Mario: they were doing this, the super
sister thing where they're like, we have
our own language with our eyes and our
eyebrows and we know what we're doing.
Alright, so yeah, Thompson sisters kept
cooking, Press getting extended minutes
making the play better on the pitch, and
Gordon bodying opponents never gets old.
DeeDee made some great saves that
kept us in, but between all that
though, the play and the tactics
was not that of coaches and players
fighting for a job next season.
Angela: I think it was
players fighting for a job.
I don't think it was
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: I will make that caveat.
Mario: yeah.
Ruby came in with the amount of
new friendships made and memories
created around the season.
Around our angels and soccer
has been absolutely amazing.
Warms my bitter, dark soul
created by stupid ass refs.
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: So that's the bright side for Ruby.
And then, okay, Jen,
Angela: I have no idea.
I just want to preface
this, but I don't know.
Mario: I have a note right here asking
Angela, if she knows how to decipher this.
Okay.
Angela: I don't know, and I
think we should put it to the
Mario: Okay,
Angela: in, like, an Instagram
Mario: okay,
Angela: on Wednesday.
Mario: I'll do it tonight
before it goes out, but yeah,
Angela: No, no, after so they know what
Mario: okay, so J'Anthony came
in with, a sword or dagger,
Angela: A sword.
Mario: and then a girl, and then salad.
A salad bowl.
Angela: I have no idea.
I'm like, sword.
girl Like, what is that?
Is, is it just a girl eating a
salad, it, like, with a sword?
I don't know.
Mario: a sword fighting vegan?
J
Angela: I don't know.
See, this is why we need to put it to
Mario: Anthony, you,
Angela: And, like, Janthony, give it
Mario: you,
yes, please give it a day.
Please tell us, but give it a day.
and yes, oh, and we'll share, J Anthony,
I will share with you in the Discord.
All the responses we get for this,
Angela: Yeah.
And we'll, we'll post it
because it's gonna be so good.
It's
Mario: yeah.
Angela: fun.
Mario: and then he also
came in with, First half, we
looked terrible and shaken up.
And that didn't change after
LaCasse went, went off injured.
But it did change second half,
and I never figured out why.
They stopped trying to overload Jazz
and started trying to overload Gisele.
Gisele was on fire that night.
Angela: I, I completely agree.
The first half was
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Like, it, it didn't make sense.
The way we were playing.
Mario: And I want to say,
Janthony's, Janthony's like our
resident other, casual expert here.
he, he breaks down these
things really well to the point
where I'm like, All right.
I think I understand what
was going on a bit more.
Angela: J'Anthony.
Yeah.
Mario: So thank you, Janthony, for
everything you've been doing all season.
Thank you for everyone who's been
responding and talking to us all season.
It's been really fun.
So that is our footy
therapy session for today.
Unfortunately, we have run out of time.
Angela: It takes a big swing from
his casualty branded hydroflask.
If you want any of these
stickers, please let us know.
I have this many, Mario has
Mario: I do.
I have more.
Angela: we have a truckload of stickers.
Please
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: some.
And we're probably gonna make
none of these have new things.
But we gotta figure out who's
gonna be on the team next season.
There's a lot of things
Mario: I'm, I'm,
Angela: few
Mario: I'm holding to see what
happens with Syd to do something
with the, Yuru, Yuro logo.
Angela: Yeah, we're
Mario: We're gonna do something with it.
Angela: It's
Mario: okay, well,
Angela: All right, everybody.
So thanks for listening to Footy Therapy.
Thanks for hanging out
with us the whole season.
We've got one more game coming up on
Friday, November 1st, day after Halloween.
So you're not going to
want to do anything anyway.
Just stay at home.
If you have kids, you're
going to be exhausted.
I um, Alicia and their family, there's
a big thing at her kids school, she was
like, I don't even know if I'm going to
be able to watch the game, I'm just going
to be a big, big Halloween Thorns vs.
Angel City at Providence Park in
Portland, if you're up there and
you want something to do, go to
the zoo, it's just up the max.
Like the light rail,
just like one stop away.
Super fun.
Kickoff is at 7 PM.
It'll be streaming on
Amazon Prime iHeartRadio.
Isaac and Tracy will be on the call.
Um, we'll be doing obviously
one last regular season episode.
It's the final match of our season
and the kickoff for decision weekend.
Cause we're not
Mario: it's not a day.
Angela: super crazy decision
Mario: want a day, okay?
NWSL, take note.
Leave Decision Day what it is.
Even though this year,
everything's already fucking set.
it doesn't matter.
Angela: basically.
Mario: Leave Decision Day,
Angela: It's
Mario: The way it is, look, honestly,
Decision Day would be wild knowing
that Bay, Portland, and Racing
are playing all at the same time.
As it is, I don't know what the schedule
looks like, but essentially they're
gonna know, you know, beforehand.
bring back Decision Day.
It brings chaos and it's fun.
Angela: Exactly.
Uh, Angel City will be hosting a
watch party at both 33 TAPS locations
in Culver City and Silver Lake.
Party's gonna start at 6, kickoff's at 7.
Get there early.
I have been to a watch game
at the Culver City location.
I have been there regularly
when there's not a watch party.
Get there early, get a table, get
your food order in, get your drink
order in, and find a place and park
there's no place to move around.
We pack it out.
It's super fun.
They have been so supportive of
Angel City fans this whole season.
Women's sports fans, WNBA fans, like
they're, they're doing a great job
for women's sports and definitely go
support them even if it's not for a watch
party, but you know, it's what we do.
So if you like what you heard this
episode or any episode before this,
make sure you hit the subscribe
button wherever you're listening.
If you want to see me look
better, Bonkers all the time.
And my hair that looks like a
slinky on top of my head today
kind of bounce back and forth.
Make sure you check us out on
YouTube, but you can go to casualfc.
com for all of the podcast links
on where to find us, where to
listen and all that good stuff.
You can follow us on social media at
casualfcpod, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok
and threads are where we're at really
just Instagram and TikTok kind of.
TikTok
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: is hard guys.
the Discord.
It is now my favorite place on the
internet to hang out and talk about
really, really weird stuff along with
soccer and Angel just a handful of people.
I would love to get us up to 50 people
Mario: Oh.
Angela: the end of the
Mario: Oh, that'll be fun.
Angela: almost at 30.
Tell your friends.
We've got enough people.
Legit, I'm gonna be harassing
people, but please join my Discord.
So Brian, if you're
listening, join the Discord.
I sent you a DM during the game.
Don't forget.
He sits behind me.
I know he listens.
other than that, the best ways
to support the pod is to like,
and comment on episodes, on posts
you see on social media, review
us on your listening platform,
all that normal engagement stuff.
It's free.
It takes very little time and it's
more helpful than I think many people
realize for creators of all kinds.
Mario: Very, very much.
Feed the algorithm.
Angela: Exactly.
If you like any of the merch
you've seen, check out shop.
casualfc.
Like Mario's stickers right now
that he's showing on screen.
we will have an abundance of new
merch next season once we know
who's on the team and what's going
to happen and all that good stuff.
So we'll have stuff.
Ready and waiting for you once the
roster drops, because I don't think
we're going to know too much before then.
If you feel so inclined and you want to
help support us in the offseason, and
just because you love us so much, can help
support the pod by buying us a coffee.
You can check out the link in
our bio or go to buymeacoffee.
com slash casual fc pod.
It's one of those, if you don't want
more stuff in your house, but you
want to support us somehow, aside
from reviewing, you want to send us
a few bucks, that's how you do it.
Um, thank you to David who has sent
us little random one, two, three
dollar things for the silliest shit.
It's honestly so fun.
We'll get an email David sent you one
coffee and then the is like, you two are
so Like, go to Like, it's the silliest
Mario: think,
Angela: it makes my day
Mario: I think my favorite
one was for the wow mark.
Angela: Yep.
Yeah.
It's, it's the best.
So tell a friend about the podcast.
It's what makes the world go round.
It's the last chance to do it this season
before we send the angels off to Portland.
bank up all this, all these well wishes
and good luck and all the good things.
Send it off to the team.
So know what to do is send it our way.
Thank you for riding
this season out with us.
One more game.
Don't forget to vote.
And if you have questions,
feel free to DM us.
I got
Mario: All right.
Bye everyone.
Angela: Bye.