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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.
Ang: Welcome to Casual FC,
an Angel City preview pod.
I'm your host, Angela Morales,
with my ever technological Super
editor, co host Mario Salazar,
Mario: Yeah,
Ang: nothing like making up
a word just for the intro.
Um, well today, before we get started,
I am super, super, super, super
stoked to introduce our special guest.
We have internet personality,
woe so casual extraordinaire,
Mario: podcast host,
Ang: podcast host, um, I don't
know, every like mom of the year.
Em Woods: No.
Ang: probably recognized from , from
TikTok, Instagram, all over, all
over the place at this point.
So welcome to the show,
Em Woods: Oh my gosh.
I feel like all those
labels are far too generous.
Like, yeah, they're far too generous.
Yeah.
I get on the internet and do
silly things is basically the it.
Ang: I mean, don't we all
Mario: yeah,
Em Woods: Right.
Mario: but you tend to do
them better than we can, so
Ang: or better than a lot of people?
Some people try, but you,
you hit the nail on the head.
You found your, you found
your lane real quick.
Em Woods: Thank you.
I really, it's really my
favorite hobby I've ever done.
Ang: I love it.
I know it's a ton of work, but.
Dang, you're good at it.
Mario: I will say that, like, um, of
course, Angela, being who she is, uh,
completely knew about, about you, um,
beforehand, and then me getting into the
whole WOSO universe as we started doing
this, I was like, like, you know, seeing
things on social, and then, of course,
like, y y you popped up, and then, I
was like, oh my god, this is hilarious,
and I'm like, sending it to her, and
she's like, yeah, yeah, that's Em, so,
Ang: Yeah, I was like, yeah, I
saw that a week ago, like just
Mario: which is like what
Ang: my,
Mario: whenever I send her
something, she's like, yeah, I saw
that a week ago, I'm like, ugh,
Ang: my entire, every social media feed
is literally just like women's sports,
gluten free recipes, some politics,
and like my friends, and that's it.
I've, I've really just narrowed it down.
It's mostly sports.
Em Woods: That's
Mario: Yeah, yeah.
Em Woods: Yeah.
My algorithm desperately
wants me to be a teacher.
Which I'm not.
don't know why.
They think I'm a teacher, but I am not.
Ang: So you are in Ohio
affiliated with the Midwest?
Em Woods: Yes, I rep
the Midwest very hard.
Yeah, I was born and raised
in Ohio, and now I live in
Northeast Ohio, like, near Akron.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: And, you know, went to college
in Ohio and have really never lived
anywhere else, which might be sad.
Like, I've visited places, I've
traveled, but I really enjoy it here.
And I think it's a
wonderful place to live.
Mario: I was born and raised in LA and
Ang: Yeah, like, we've both never left, so
Em Woods: But LA sounds impressive.
You're like, Oh, you live in LA.
That sounds impressive.
There's so much there.
Ang: You know, a lot of people talk
a lot of smack about Ohio, and like,
I've been there enough times now
to say, like, I kind of get it, but
also, there's a lot of cool stuff.
There's like, decent, and you're close
enough to big, big major cities, like,
you're close enough to Chicago, close
enough to like, Pittsburgh and Philly,
close enough to Indianapolis, that
like, nothing is too far out of the way.
Like, reach?
Like, you could drive for a couple
hours and be out of the state.
You drive for a couple hours here
and you're still in California.
Em Woods: Well, maybe even in LA for the,
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: I don't, like, I No, I, I do
think it is pretty centrally located.
Like, I never feel like I can't make
a flight somewhere or drive somewhere.
Um, and yeah, I feel like
there's always stuff to do.
I'm only, like, 45 minutes
south of Cleveland.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: you know, we get, you
know, comedians tour and shows
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: we can, we get to see
stuff, but I'm sure it's a little
bit different being, like, the
center of the entertainment world
in LA, but we get some stuff too.
Ang: That's good.
Mario: I just posted up one of those, um,
reposted one of the, like the NWSL, it's
like, you should be a fan of, you know,
Ang: Mm hmm.
Mario: And then they had that little
meme thing that they were doing.
And like, I annotated the Angel
Ang: Oh, yeah.
Mario: like, I was like, yeah,
we've got the best SGs ever.
And then listed all of them.
And then it said, like, one of them said,
like, Hollywood celebrity sightings.
And I'm like,
Ang: It's like, oh, Hollywood.
Mario: And I'm like, woo, Hollywood.
Then in, like, parentheses, it
said, but don't go to Hollywood.
It's actually kind of,
Ang: No, don't go there.
Mario: And you won't see
anybody famous in Hollywood.
gotta go elsewhere.
Em Woods: Yeah,
Ang: Yeah,
Em Woods: City game.
I feel like you
Ang: exactly.
Mario: There you go.
Ang: Star studded.
Mario: It's the
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: seen at times.
Yes.
Ang: So are you officially a Chicago Red
Stars fan or is that just like, yeah.
How did you decide?
Em Woods: So at the time I got into
the NWSL, my sister, I have one sister,
um, and she was living in Chicago.
And so I was like, Oh, if I'm going
to get to one of these places,
one of these teams, then that's
going to be the easiest one.
Cause I could like, Maybe stay
with her and catch a game.
So I was like, Chicago is my team.
And I
Mario: you go.
Em Woods: Alyssa Naeher and I love
Julie Ertz was with them at the time.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: And
Ang: pregnant?
Did you see that?
Yeah, she posted today because she did
um, media for Sheba, for like Sheba, and
she's just probably six months pregnant?
Maybe four or five depending on, yeah.
I was like, oh that's news.
Em Woods: that's news,
but very makes sense.
Ang: That's good.
Yeah,
Em Woods: Makes sense.
Ang: yeah.
Makes sense.
Em Woods: I feel like she,
yeah, she wanted that.
Ang: Mhm.
Em Woods: Um, yeah.
So Chicago has kind of
just, my team for now on.
And I would say, I always say
like Angel City is my second team
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: goes back to the home, I don't
know, were you guys at the home opener?
Mario: Yes.
Yeah.
Em Woods: The magic of the home
opener with like Brittany Howard
singing and the fireworks.
I was
Ang: I just got goosebumps about it again.
Em Woods: Like, it was an amazing
moment that I was, I was just enamored
with Angel City and I still love the
spirit of the team and like Ali, right?
Like there's so many personalities
and players that I just
really love on Angel City.
So I like to say they're
my secondary team.
Ang: I'm down for it.
I mean,
Mario: I
Ang: we're only slightly biased here, but
Em Woods: Yeah.
Mm hmm.
Mario: okay, have this question here.
You can answer it or you
can abstain if you'd like.
But with, and we, we spoke to, and I
think I probably messaged you or at least
messaged, like you and Ali about, our
interview that we did with, Elizabeth,
who in Cleveland, and she does amazing,
just women's sports stories and athlete
interviews and all of that stuff.
Ang: she's the best.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mario: um, and like the bid and everything
like that and like doing this watch party.
Um, and I, and I recently heard
your episode like, uh, interviewing
the, who was the president?
Em Woods: yeah, he's like one of
the, would be co owners, I guess.
Mario: Okay.
Yeah.
So, okay.
Um, like, we're rooting for it.
I mean, it would be fun.
Um, so if Cleveland comes.
Where, where, where is that
going to have to slot in?
Em Woods: Uh, they would
slot in at the top for sure.
And that sounds, it's just
like, they're your team.
And I
Mario: Yeah.
Em Woods: got that until I started
like really kind of getting invested
with the bid for the NWSL team.
And like that feeling, um, like
my dad is a Cleveland Browns fan
and like the Browns are awful
and they've been awful for years.
Decades, but he loves the Browns
and like the, the guardians.
And I, it started to finally click
like, Oh, I get what you're saying now.
Like, if it's your team, it's your
community, they rep your city.
just feels different.
And I don't know if like, if you
feel that way with Angel City,
Mario: Yeah.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: Yeah.
Em Woods: different thing, like
Ang: Well, there were so many, before
the expansion to LA, so many folks on
the West Coast were like Royals fans
for like a hot second or Portland fans.
Cause we didn't have the teams here.
And then like Eva, my fiancee was just
like, Oh no, I like, she was a rain
slash Portland kind of depended on the
year, like which way she was swaying.
But it was like, and you know, she's from
New Jersey and even still, she's like
Gotham pretends they're from New York.
They're from.
New Jersey.
Like, don't, no.
Mario: Well, when they
rebranded, they did flip it.
So it is New Jersey, New York, Gotham.
Ang: Yeah, but they don't claim it.
Like, you know, and she's like, even
once Angel City happened and we were
at that first home opener, she looked
at me and she goes, this is my team.
Like, this is, this is different.
This is, it's not like,
Oh yeah, I love this team.
They're great.
But this is like where I live.
This is what I've created in my life.
Like, this is my team.
And like, I, I understood it,
but I've always had teams.
You know, like I've said it a
bunch on the, on here, but like,
I was at opening day for the WNBA.
I've been to Lakers games.
I've been to, you know,
tennis tournaments.
I've been to all these different things
here, but Angel City just was different.
And I'm, I'm so excited.
And I hope Cleveland gets a bit, if
not this year, then like the next, the
next announcement, like something, you
know, to go along with, with Boston.
Em Woods: I am allowing my
hopes to get so high, so
Ang: Good.
Em Woods: high, that like, I don't even
want to temper, like, am believing that
we are going to get a team, and I'll
just have to be crushed if we don't.
Ang: It'll happen.
It's just whether or not it's going
to happen this next announcement or
like the next one following that.
Em Woods: Yeah, I'm gonna be a
part of it, like, when it happens,
Mario: Yeah.
Em Woods: I feel.
Ang: That's awesome.
I'm so excited for you.
Do you think you'll keep like
dual citizenship between Chicago
and Cleveland or just be like
later days and just be a homer?
Em Woods: See, I feel like the
Midwest teams were so awful last year,
Ang: Yeah, there were some big struggles.
Em Woods: my gosh, I started
thinking of them as a unit.
And so like, like, even like, racing has
a special place in my heart, Kansas City.
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: of us as like, we're a unit.
And so I am going to like, root for them
for whatever, I want them to do well.
Because I know that they Some
of the, you know, it's sometimes
hard to recruit players to these
Ang: Yeah,
Em Woods: in the middle of the country.
And so I just hope that they
can build successful clubs.
So I'll always rep the Midwest for sure.
Ang: that's awesome.
That makes me so happy.
Like I, I love when people like jump ship
when their home team like becomes a team.
But I also love it when it's like you
still have the allegiance where you
had it before just even a little bit.
Em Woods: hmm.
Ang: like, no, you're
the ones who raised me.
This but this is where I'm at now.
Mario: I will say, I will say, because
the NWSL is so relatively young, right,
um, you encounter lots of fans that
are, you know, like Eva was, you know,
Ang: Mm hmm.
Multi team fan.
Mario: like, you're, you actually
become a little bit more invested
in the players, and so you start
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: around rather than the team,
but you get that home team, like, it
Ang: Mm hmm.
Mario: like, when it's, When you can
call it your home team, then, you know,
all, all, all rules are different.
Em Woods: I
Ang: I'm a fish.
I mean, I once Elizabeth told us that
there was a campaign for Cleveland team.
I was like, oh, for sure.
This needs to happen.
And now I'm just like, Like, banging
down doors from LA, like, do it!
Em Woods: we're going to know in November.
I'm sure
Ang: Oh,
Em Woods: everybody like higher powers
will know sooner, but I think it's
going to get announced in November.
Ang: yeah, that's like,
Mario: Fingers crossed.
Ang: seven months too far away, like,
Em Woods: so far away.
Yeah.
It's
Ang: um,
Mario: how,
Ang: yeah,
Mario: feel that being really known
as this kind of like social media
personality with, you know, in, within
the WOSO community, has it like, how
has it allowed you to open up about?
You know, doing the thing for the
thing that you've been growing to love.
Um,
Em Woods: what you mean.
Give me, give me some more clarifiers.
Mario: like, because you said you were
getting into like, and you mentioned
it a lot that you're like, getting to
know the sport, getting to know the
players, getting to know, like you
have, you, you didn't grow up like as a
kid, you know, loving soccer, you know,
it was, it was a more recent thing.
So there's the content, right?
Like us watching you.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Mario: then there's you creating it
because you found such a passion for it.
And how do you think that has
like, lit that fire or like,
really helped you go all in on it?
Em Woods: start create.
I mean, you guys decided to do
this podcast in a couple hours.
It sounds like, which is crazy.
Like it takes me a long time to
just start, like start something.
Like I'll think about it for months
before I actually do something.
And like, I don't know if you experienced
this, but like, I am very nervous
about, like, I remember like when I
first started posting videos, I was
literally gritting my teeth, like.
Pushing the post button
Mario: Yeah.
Em Woods: and like just stomaching
knots, but it was I knew I wanted to do.
And then that once you start being
involved in that community, like we have
such an addicting community and such a
cool community that they're so funny.
They're so like creative.
It is everything I've ever wanted.
Like it is.
Even the people at the highest
level, like, like the Darian Jenkins,
Ang: mm hmm,
Em Woods: people who I think are like
the quote unquote professionals are
Ang: yeah,
Em Woods: funny and creative and
just very almost accessible in a
Ang: mm hmm.
Em Woods: build community.
And so I'm just like happy to be a part
of that, just a minimal part of that.
Ang: Yeah, Mario, before you jumped
on, we were talking about, like, how
cool it is that we still get, like,
player interaction, how fun everybody
is, like, everyone in, like, women's
sports online community, like, active
participants, not, not the sprinkling
on that nobody wants, but, like, those
of us who are in it to, like, push the
game, further the game, talk about it.
It's just a party.
It feels like an Angel City
game on my Twitter thread
Em Woods: Yeah.
Ang: 85 percent of the time.
Sometimes I get stuff I don't want
and I'm just like, what are you?
But like, especially this
weekend, ooh, this weekend was
chefs kiss good on the internet.
Em Woods: Mm hmm.
My husband is like, how
can you be on Twitter?
I was like, my Twitter is amazing.
Ang: Yes.
Em Woods: the best people.
I get recommended the best people.
Like I
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: get trolls and stuff
Mario: It's the, it's the plus side.
It's the good side of it that should
be there and should be boosted,
but, you know, it is what it is now.
Em Woods: the best version
Mario: Yeah.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: like, whoa, so Twitter.
And that's
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: it feels like such an attack
when, not outsiders, but like, when
somebody tries to threaten that,
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: personal.
Like even if it's not
Ang: It's,
Em Woods: at me, it feels personal.
Ang: I saw something this weekend in
regards to the Final Four that was
like, can we start gatekeeping again?
Because those people were
trying to infiltrate.
It was like, no, we don't do that here.
We don't, like, do I have a favorite team?
Yes.
Do I have favorite players?
Absolutely.
Do I have favorite coaches?
Yes.
But, I respect it.
everyone in this game because they're
doing something at such a high level
that 90 percent of people can't do.
And it's so important
to keep building that.
Em Woods: I think something I heard
this weekend, um, were talking
about, and now I forget, I think
it was Kelsey Plum said this,
Ang: Oh, yes.
Em Woods: Bird, the
Ang: I know exactly what
you're talking about.
Em Woods: And
Ang: Yes.
Em Woods: should take it over.
I think it is
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: for women's soccer
Twitter that, you know, how WNBA
get their welcome to the league,
like elbows in the gut, like hard
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: of thing.
Ang: Yeah.
All rookies get it across all sports.
It's just been a topic of conversation
mostly because of Diana Taurasi,
which I could have a whole podcast
about the history of the WNBA.
That's for a different day.
Mario: new project.
That's another
Ang: Yeah, that's the
Em Woods: the next one.
Mario: t t t t t
Em Woods: new fans, like fans are
going to start having these moments
where they're going to get welcome to
the league moments where these more
seasoned fans are going to kind of like
check them and put them in their place.
Ang: Yeah, I'll carry that torch.
Em Woods: Yeah, because like we
have to protect this environment.
Ang: Yeah,
Em Woods: so precious.
Like we have to.
Ang: yeah, and like, what's happening in
women's basketball right now, like the
Caitlin Clarke effect, like, she's so
great, but like, we've had great players,
this isn't new, and it's the same thing
in WOSO, these play like, the immensity
of talent didn't just start there.
It's been there for generations.
We've known, but like, the
world outside of the U.
S.
has known.
The U.
S.
is just finally starting to catch
up and I'm like, please protect
this environment because it's so
special and so great and so much fun.
Like, there's so much community.
And even, like, online, we met officially
tonight via this recording, but, like, I
knew I had you in my back pocket, like,
as a friend across the country, if I was
like, oh my god, did you watch this game?
I could, I could say something,
because you probably did watch it.
Em Woods: It's so weird.
That is like the weirdest thing about,
you know, having friends, like people
will have like that aren't their names on
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: media.
And I'm almost like, should I
message them and ask their real name?
Like we talk almost every day.
Ang: Yeah, this is, like, the epitome of
millennial, like, online friendships, is
sports communities, and it's my favorite.
Mario: it comes from like our,
you know, AOL screen names that we
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: something up because like,
so I will say that my, my social
media handles are all just my name.
Like, I'm not hiding behind
Ang: This
Mario: you know, so like when I'm
talking to someone I've met, you
know, when I've met like, and I've
mentioned this to Angela before, but
like, you know, it's, it's of funny.
The, Um, the, like, the level of celebrity
you put on people, especially because
you don't know them personally, right?
And so, like, like when you finally
get to meet someone, or when someone
responds to you, you, you kind of
like, you freak out a little bit.
You're like, oh my god, like,
they, I, I kid you not, the face
that Angela gave me when I told
her, like, hey, I messaged Em, and
Ang: is so embarrassing.
Mario: Well, okay, the first
one where I was like, Hey, I,
I, Em liked one of our videos.
like, Oh my God.
And then when I was like, I
messaged Em about doing the
podcast and she's in for it.
had the
Ang: I was like, on the Metro, going to
see Eva, like, I was having a really bad
day, and I'm like, instantly, and it is,
like, casual FC lore that I cry on it,
like, at least 10 seconds in one episode,
every episode, I'm always in tears about
something, and I was like, Mario, you're
not supposed to make me cry when we're not
recording, like, what's wrong with you?
Because we, like, I also have, like,
Like, a motto that I got from TikTok,
because of course I did, because that's
my life right now, but it's like, shoot
your shot, because if you aren't, it's
the same thing as not doing anything.
So, like, why not?
And then I got him to start
doing it, and now we're here!
Yay!
Mario: now we're here.
Yeah,
Em Woods: I started, you know,
I don't know if you guys know
this, I'm pretty sure you do.
Like I'm a stay at home parent and
like COVID was very hard for me and
I had my kids young and so like a
lot of my friends didn't have kids
at the time they were working.
So it was very lonely.
And so one of my biggest things
is like, I've on the internet
basically to make friends.
like, am desperate to make friends like
you guys, like just very cool people,
like I'm so excited that you guys asked
me to do this because like you guys are
the type of people I want to talk to.
Mario: but that's the great thing
about the internet is that you find
Ang: Mm hmm.
Yeah.
Mario: Okay.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: I, okay.
I think I have one more question before
we get, like, back into, like, the normal
episode, but And I haven't gone far back
enough to figure this out on my own.
But there's this kind of running joke
about you being yelled at by a player.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Mario: Would you
Ang: no.
Em Woods: Okay.
So, um, the player in
question is, uh, Loera.
Ang: Oh.
Em Woods: So here's what happened.
We were talking on, on our podcast.
We, we do a podcast called
Across the Fund on NWSL.
And I had made a comment
basically when she was signed.
it was a little clunky
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: you know, she was signed
and then put out a post that was like,
she was surprised by it, you know,
it was like a conflicting message.
And I said, so.
On the podcast.
And then our editor, James took that clip,
Mario: You clipped it?
Em Woods: Instagram
Ang: James!
Em Woods: her.
Ang: No!
Em Woods: then she, we got a very long
comment basically saying how I should
have asked her how she felt about it.
And I was like, but she wrote
how you felt about it already.
I was just taking what she wrote.
And, um, so that was, so I got
yelled at by Alex Loera on Instagram
and that is forever like, I have
never been more panicked when
I started reading that comment.
I was like, oh no, oh no.
You should see,
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: the screenshots.
Texting my co host Ali,
who was completely chill.
She was like, it's great
that she looked at it.
It's great that she watched it.
And I was like, are you kidding?
Are you reading the same
things that I am reading?
Ugh.
Ang: That's, that's the same.
Yeah, like, that's how
Mario and I react to things.
Like, I'm the one that's
like, do you see this?
Are you watching this?
Do you?
Like, I'm freaking out.
He's like, yeah, but like, it's cool.
And I'm like, no.
Mario: Or
Ang: freaking out.
Yeah.
Mario: our first troll, I was like, okay,
Ang: Oh, yeah.
Mario: let's not react.
Let's not answer it.
Let's just let it go and delete it.
Ang: Yeah.
We both screenshot the comment
and then he deleted it, so we have
it for posterity, but it doesn't
exist on the internet anymore.
Em Woods: Yeah, I feel
like you have to do that.
I think I took a picture of
the first hater comment I got
and I was like, oh, this is
Mario: It's almost like a,
Em Woods: okay.
Mario: like a badge of honor, right?
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: you've, your, your spread
has reached enough or your, your
thing has reached a person that
like, It got, it got shoved in there
for you, Paige, and then you're
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: well, something
pushed this to your page.
So there you go.
Em Woods: So I, um, goodness for
like people like Mario and Ali
who are like very calm because
like I am also a and a panicker.
Like, yeah.
So I've learned.
a little bit more careful and then to
maybe James won't tag people anymore.
Mario: Yeah, yeah, there should be, there
needs to be a, um, chain of command or a,
like, uh, quality control of like, when
Ang: Yeah.
Do you want me to tag them, yes or no?
It's like, no!
Em Woods: Yeah, James is
like the nicest person.
Just an absolute gem of a person.
And so he would never think that
this is how it would have turned out.
but there you have it.
It's okay.
Mario: Yeah,
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: well,
Ang: one of those, you're like,
alright, we did it, cool, and now
you get to just do cool stuff.
Yeah, you live to tell the tale.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Mario: Well, I'm glad I
know the backstory now.
Em Woods: Of all people.
So anytime, like I can't even, if she
comes on the TV, like I can't look, know,
cause I just get knots in my stomach.
I'm like, oh gosh,
Mario: You're
Ang: She's gonna stay.
She's gonna know that you're watching.
Like, I, I completely,
completely understand.
Yeah.
So quickly, because I feel like
you and I could talk about this for
hours and it's already late for you.
How was your Final Four weekend?
Mario: Since you were there.
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: Final Four in Cleveland.
It was amazing.
I volunteered two days, uh, just
with the Cleveland Sports Commission,
had a bunch of volunteers, and
I wore the world's ugliest polo.
Ang: As, as you do.
I feel like when you're volunteering for
things, it has to be the ugliest shirt.
Yellow, orange,
Em Woods: Orange.
Ang: green.
Mario: you say
Ang: It's always orange.
Mario: And
Em Woods: You could do
Ang: Oh,
Em Woods: one snap down.
looks.
Ang: did you have like middle school
flashbacks of, oh god, I've lived
through this bucket hat phase already?
Like, or just, I can't get
down with the bucket hats.
Em Woods: This was my
first ever bucket hat.
Ang: Oh, wow.
You are so lucky.
Em Woods: I don't know how I missed it.
Nobody bought me a bucket hat,
and I didn't buy myself a bucket
hat, but now it is my husband's.
He's very proud to golf in it, apparently.
He's excited.
Ang: That's good.
Em Woods: Yeah,
Ang: That's good.
Em Woods: final four weekend was
just everything I wanted it to be.
I could drive up there, I got to
volunteer, um, I went to the Super
Saturday practice, which was a
Ang: Ooh, yeah.
Oh,
Em Woods: with Dawn Staley, and I
cried as she's getting this picture,
there's tears streaming out of
my face, I was like, oh my gosh,
Ang: that's amazing.
Em Woods: And I was like, Julianne, you
don't under, you might not understand,
but like, she's one of the best
coaches in the world that you just met.
Ang: One of the best players in
the world, coaches, just people.
Oh,
Em Woods: and the world she
Ang: oh my gosh.
Em Woods: is just so far, this
generation of kids for women's
sports, it is a different world
that they're growing up in.
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: And then after that, I
went to, uh, Together, uh, hosted
a podcast recording with Sue
Ang: You got to be there?
Em Woods: Yes,
Ang: awesome.
Em Woods: was super busy, um, you know,
she has a coffee shop and she had events
to go to, so she gave me her tickets, um,
Ang: That's amazing.
Em Woods: of Sue Bird and Megan
Rapinoe and Shania Gumuke was
Ang: Oh,
Em Woods: Drea, it was just,
Ang: Elle was there.
Elle Duncan.
Yeah.
Em Woods: I was, yeah, Elle Duncan, I was
Mario: M words.
Who was there?
Yeah.
Ha ha
Em Woods: just furiously peeking around
people's bodies to try and get a look.
Um, but it was, you know, Cheryl Miller.
I walked by doing autograph signings
and it was just a surreal moment to
be around basically all these legends
Ang: Yeah,
Em Woods: existing and
breathing the same air.
And it was just a great weekend.
Ang: that's so good.
I'm so happy for you.
Em Woods: Thank
Ang: Yeah, I'm going to the WNBA All
Star Game, or All Star Weekend, again
this year, because I went to Vegas last
year, it was 125, it was awful, but
it was fun, but the weather was awful,
so this year we get to go to Phoenix
Mario: ha.
Ang: in July, so it's gonna be the same.
But, less people, like, it's not
the strip, it's, but I'm so excited.
It's just, the W, I can't wait for
the NWSL to have, like, a skills
challenge weekend or some kind of,
like, all star, they really need to,
because it would just be so great.
Even if it's during, like, like,
championship weekend or something
like that, do multi day events because
it's just gonna bring in more people.
Mario: Yeah.
Em Woods: was, I think it was
Taylor, I forget her last name,
from the Equalizer, she was
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: the NWSL, like, little
skills challenge they had, Championship
Ang: Oh, yeah, yeah.
Em Woods: and like, the hundreds
of people that were on the stream,
like, people want that content,
Ang: Yes.
Em Woods: quality, like, Crystal Dunn in
a unaffiliated, like, where's she gonna
Ang: Like, I'm looking for a job.
That whole thing was so great.
Yeah.
Em Woods: you can't script
TV better than that.
Ang: Not at all.
Not at all.
It was so good.
Em Woods: it.
Mario: I
Ang: Definitely.
Mario: if that happens, I do want them to
borrow the, um, the goalie words that the
MLS brought back this, this past year.
Okay.
So
Ang: We are women's sports people.
Whoa.
Mario: school MLS, right.
different world.
They had, They were like,
let's be, let's be Murka.
And so they had to change a
bunch of the rules, right?
Like penalties were like hockey shootouts.
Like, you know, you ran up
to the goal from like half.
Yeah, it was wild.
It was wild.
But one of the things that they had
during their All Star weekend, which
they brought back this past year, was
goalie wars, which is literally the
goalie, two goalies, um, you know, are
set up facing each other like super close
and they're basically just chucking the
ball or kicking the ball back and forth
to each other diving to like block it
and then just seeing who can score the
most like a short set period of time
Ang: Whoa.
Mario: just kind of tournament style for
the goalies because you know like Like,
Ang: don't get the same, the same credit.
Mario: like, what are they going to do
during, uh, during the All Star weekend?
Like, just get shot on by,
like, all the All Stars?
Like, no, them something to do.
Imagine, um, imagine Anderson and, like,
Neher, like, on a, chucking the ball
at each other or, like, kicking it and,
like, you know, doing their drop kick and
all that, trying to score on each other
and also trying to block each other.
Ang: That'd be so cool.
Em Woods: And I think it would
be good to see, like, a little
bit more, goalies are so serious.
Like, I would love to see a
little bit more, like, let them
cut loose, let them have fun
Ang: And you have like the most
serious of serious keepers.
Like she is so stoic.
So like, I mean, she is the
epitome of America's brick wall.
Like she is our key or our, our
country's keeper at this point.
So speaking of Mario, can you give
us what's coming up where we're
watching it, all that good stuff?
Mario: So back to our
regularly scheduled program.
Uh, this episode we are catching up with.
M and the Chicago Red Stars.
Angel City will be there on April 13th at
Seat Geek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois.
The match will be at 6.
30pm Pacific Time, cause
we don't like doing math.
Uh, broadcast schedule, it's gonna
be on ION TV, so it's because
it's a Saturday, it's Saturday.
That's one of the ION TV ones.
Go check out our Instagram.
I listed LA, Ventura County, San
Diego County ION TV stations.
You'll find it.
If not, go to the website.
They have a little
thingy to figure it out.
iHeartRadio will be passing
the game over the radio.
So listen to Isaac and
Tracy, our favorites.
And uh, if you can't watch it on
TV, there is an official watch
party by Angel City and Uh, 6.
30, party starts at 5.
30 at Tom's Watch Bar, um, in downtown L.
A.
That's the one right in front of Staples
Center, I will not call it the other name.
So, it's in
Ang: Yeah.
It's at LA live right on fig.
So it's definitely easy to get to.
You can Metro there.
You don't have to park and just
hightail it home after the game.
Mario: Yes,
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: go.
And, now our Chaos Award,
Ang: Oof.
Mario: which I, I wrote VAR.
Ang: Yeah.
So, we started with this season,
like, a chaos award of the week,
like, teams, players, a fan base,
the weather, depending on what
Gotham is doing, because, like, last
season, every there's lightning,
thunder, cats and dogs, who knows.
Yeah, I think VAR is gonna
be VAR and stoppage time.
Mario: I don't know,
Ang: is, is this week's
Mario: yeah.
Not to put you on the spot, but do
you have one beyond that, that you
felt like was kind of shenanigan y?
Em Woods: No, I think that one definitely
takes the cake, like, VAR has been absurd
Ang: Like, we don't need to be adding,
yeah, 10 to 15 minutes of stoppage.
Like, it's so bad.
It's, and
Mario: I've,
Ang: Freya,
Mario: I've said it for the longest
time that like, if you can't, like,
I appreciate VAR, I appreciate being
like, look, you got this wrong, but if
it takes you longer than a few minutes
And being like, can I see it slower?
Can I see it slower?
Can I see it?
Like, no, then it's not clear
and obvious, and move on.
Like,
Em Woods: Mm
Mario: you
Ang: there was a goal for Angel City
that got called back last year because
of VAR, and I think it was June's goal
Mario: was
Ang: in that season opener.
And Freya said in the postgame, like,
if it's not clear and obvious, which
is your Then, then what are we doing?
And people gave her a hard time, but
honestly, when we're adding 11 minutes
in the first half, what are we doing?
Em Woods: It's too much.
It's too much,
Ang: Yeah.
Yes.
Yeah.
Em Woods: the season.
Those poor legs are probably so tired.
Ang: You're adding on, like, another
half of a game for stoppage time
and just standing around, and
it's, it's not good for bodies.
Mario: I think Pro even admitted that,
that maybe that the, the, um, one of
the goals, one of the two goals that
got called back on us was a mistake.
I'll have to find it.
I
Ang: You should not have told me that.
Mario: to get you riled up, but
Em Woods: Oh,
Ang: it's also very difficult,
because I have a friend who I went
to college with who's a ref, and so
like, I'm like, yay, I'm so happy for
her, I'm so proud of her, but at the
same time, I'm like, please don't.
Please just don't, I
don't know you right now.
Em Woods: Mm.
Yeah.
Ang: Yeah,
Em Woods: I would never call
a goal back on Jun Endo just
Mario: Yeah.
Em Woods: a living angel and should
Ang: I know,
Em Woods: cold.
Like no fouls.
Ang: no,
Em Woods: will
Ang: no,
Em Woods: foul.
Ang: exactly.
And any foul is like a complete accident
and should be immediately forgiven.
Em Woods: Yes.
They should
Ang: Yes.
Exactly, like, we're so sorry we upset
you, this was completely unintentional.
Mario: got in your way.
I'm sorry.
It's,
Ang: Yeah, that's exactly it, exactly.
Mario: So yes, VAR was definitely our
chaos award winner for this past week.
And roundabout for the NWSL, um, we
had tying with Orlando, uh, we had
The Wave beating out, uh, Seattle.
We had The Courage beating out Gotham.
We also had Portland and Racing tying.
We had Houston beating out Bay,
which we're always going to be happy
when they lose, so, you know, we
Ang: I feel like,
Mario: things from them, we
also want to see them lose.
Ang: I feel like this is, and this is that
NorCal, SoCal thing where there's a bigger
rivalry, I think, between Bay FC and
Angel City and Bay FC and San Diego than
there is between Angel City and San Diego.
I don't know why, it's like, that was
the rivalry that was, like, prescribed.
Mario: rooted in, like, other sports.
Like, there's
Ang: Yeah,
Mario: there's
Ang: yeah, there's bigger rivalries.
Em Woods: That's what I have been
told, Ali is from the Bay Area,
Ang: Oh, she a Giants fan?
Em Woods: I
Ang: Does she follow baseball?
Em Woods: I don't know, I don't know,
I don't have to ask, we never talk
about baseball, we always talk about
soccer, um, but she did explain,
she was like, no, LA and Bay, like
the Bay Area do not like each other,
Ang: No, and it's not even like, and like
for me, I'm a big baseball fan too, so
it's like Dodgers and Giants, like that's
been a storied rivalry since both teams
were in New York, like it's as old as the
sport, but like there's still a respect
because it's such a high level rivalry
and I think that's what's going to happen
between BFC and Angel City and then also
BFC in San Diego because like in baseball.
The Dodgers and the Padres, the San Diego
team, like, nobody likes each other,
but it's not the same, like, disdain.
It's very much, like, if you were
to be a Dodgers fan and Mary Giants
fan, it's definitely a house divided.
Like, Duke, North Carolina,
like, very, like, ugh, exactly,
exactly, it's one of those.
But like, Dodgers and San Diego,
it's like, oh, you just make bad
decisions, like, it's whatever.
Yeah, that's the short version of
California rivalries in sports.
Em Woods: Okay.
I got it now.
Ang: Yeah,
Mario: Uh, and then we've got the
Spirit beating out, uh, Utah, which
brings us to our match, which we're
not going to talk too much about it.
Ang: it happened.
Mario: it happened.
early on in the season, so I'm just
going to go quickly through it.
We were at Kansas City at CPKC Stadium,
which I at the end of our podcast last
time accidentally said CPK Stadium,
Ang: It made me so happy.
Mario: It made me hungry when
I was re listening to it.
I was like, oh yeah.
Okay, so we lost 4 2, uh,
Ang: We had two goals called back.
Mario: two goals called
back, so like, mm hmm.
That's why we said VAR was not
Ang: Mm hmm.
Mario: Um, mm hmm.
I want to say, I know a lot of the
banter was about Angelina and like, her
distribution and like, what's going on?
Like, what is she doing?
Is she like, cut out for this?
Do we need to bring Didi back?
All of that stuff.
just going to say, everybody,
hold your horses, calm down.
Let's be the reasonable ones here.
Angelina is still, and I, this was
a point that I made later on, but
I'm going to bring it up right now.
Is Angelina is still ranked number one
in the entire league for saves per match.
Ang: Because she's had
so many opportunities.
Mario: that's the problem.
Um,
Ang: that's the problem.
Mario: so she's doing well.
There's some other gelling things
that we need to work out, right?
So it is what it is.
We lost 4 2.
Let's move on.
Em Woods: I do think I was heartbroken
Rocky's goal was called back.
I think I
Ang: That was, uh, thank you.
Because I think every, every
Costa Rican took that personally.
Every Angel City fan took it personally.
I think fans across the board took it
personally because it was so egregious.
Em Woods: Hated it.
I absolutely hated it.
Ang: don't have words.
I was so angry.
So angry.
But it is what it is.
We posted on Instagram to
anybody who wanted to let us know
how they felt about the game.
Like, post match little therapy sesh.
Alicia messaged and just said, ugh.
Which, that kind of summed it up.
Yeah, that was my feelings.
Max, our, like, friend of the pod, just
sent a sad face, like, with a tear emoji.
Mario: he went old school, like, text,
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: tier emoji, not like, actual,
Ang: Mm hmm.
Mario: emoji,
Ang: No, it was T9, colon, apostrophe,
Em Woods: are
Ang: open, like, the,
Mario: Yeah.
Em Woods: hmm.
Ang: the time.
But Jordan said it was a nail biter,
that their heart couldn't, almost
couldn't take it, but the team
looked better in the second half.
And that.
The offside goal though, dot, dot, dot,
which there's a lot of dot, dot, dot
feelings, I think, from a lot of people,
yeah, there's a lot of nodding happening,
just all of us like, mm hmm, yeah,
Em Woods: I do have a question.
Ang: yes,
Em Woods: so I do the She Plays, uh,
Ang: ooh,
Mario: Uh huh.
Em Woods: and Angelina
Anderson, I, is on my team.
Mario: Okay.
Em Woods: I have not started her, I have
started Shelby Hogan as my other keeper.
Should I be switching them?
Ang: oh, I don't know,
Mario: don't, hmm.
Ang: I don't know, I mean,
this week, I would say yes,
Em Woods: Maybe.
I
Ang: no, I would say no, I would say no,
this week, because I But that's for later.
That's when we talk
about player breakdown.
That's for later.
Em Woods: Okay.
Okay.
Ang: would say, keep what
you're doing for this week.
Let's test out and see what happens.
Em Woods: It's not like
Portland's doing great either.
My fantasy
Ang: That's fair.
Em Woods: It's so bad.
Mario: So I, we, we met because
we were, I was running the
fantasy team for our group.
Um, I am, again, I am the
casual of Casual FC here,
Ang: Yeah.
And yet, he organizes all of the things.
Mario: And it was because the, the,
uh, She Plays had an American version,
because I think they were related.
Um, but they
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: app, they had like an app in the U.
S.
and it was like, pretty cool.
We were all playing it, um, there's
a limited team, so like, I had to be
commissioner of like five different
leagues basically, cause we had so many
Ang: There's so many people in
our supporter group playing.
It was great.
Mario: But I had no clue, so I was just
drafting off of like, either autodraft
because I forgot it was drafting time,
or like, that sounds like a cool name.
Really?
Ang: That's half the reason
to play fantasy, though.
Mario: and then I, was
totally set it and forget it.
It was like Ronco Showtime,
like, I set that thing and
then never looked at it again.
And then maybe I got some points?
Like, I don't know.
Ang: Yeah, then there's Eva and I
who, Eva's driving to a rehearsal.
She's a drummer.
So she's like going to rehearsal and I'm
like, okay, draft starts in three minutes.
She's like, hold on.
Let me plug into my car.
So she gets, she's like, this person,
this person, uh, when the app had
to shut down, I was in first place.
Just, just going to put that out there.
Em Woods: That's
Ang: I love the table.
I was stressed every week.
Em Woods: It's
Ang: It was crazy.
Em Woods: Cause
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: I'm trying really hard, and
Ang: Mhm.
Em Woods: there.
So, like, something is going really wrong.
Ang: Well, you know what, afterwards,
let's, let's connect and that way I'll,
like, if you need to make trades or like,
Em Woods: me.
Ang: yeah, I got you.
I've played a lot of fantasy to
the point where I probably, I've
like, had to stop because I get too
Mario: So
Ang: attached.
Mario: vicarious fantasy will be
Ang: Yeah.
Yeah, I'll be your coach.
Em Woods: Okay.
I would like that.
I'll start doing really well
and everybody will be like, wow,
what did you do differently?
I'll be like, oh, I'm just good now.
I don't
Ang: I just paid attention, that's all.
I just read the stats.
I was on FOTMOB last night.
Yeah, I got you.
So, um, let's see, who else?
Um, Jeff said the errors, bad build
up from the back and the turnovers.
There's a lot to clean up, which I
don't Necessarily disagree with, um,
Katie is frustrated to think that
we could have come back and tied,
and had it 3 3 with a tired emoji.
Nick was pretty disappointed,
um, doesn't understand the
offside call, neither do we!
Mario: So I,
Ang: We, yeah, there's just a lot
of, like, everybody being sad.
Mario: so I nerded out, I, as I
do, and I actually watched the
pro, um, breakdown of that one.
'cause I actually did the
Pro R breakdown on that one
Ang: Oh, the Rock Eagle?
Mm
Mario: the Yes.
Yeah, the, the, the offside one.
And it was
Ang: hmm.
Mario: was offside.
Um, it was because the defender.
It was a deflection because of the,
even though they, lunged at the
ball and hit it with their thigh.
It was not in control, right?
It's, it's one of those things of
like, you know, like in football, like
if they don't actually have control
of the ball, it's not an actual
Ang: It's a loose ball foul.
Got it.
Mario: So that's kind of what it was,
is that because there was no control,
even though they went towards it and,
and deflected it, it was a deflection.
And the rule states that if it was If
they had control of the ball and then
it bounced around and then bounced
in, then it would have been fine.
But the fact that it was a
deflection, fuller was off and
that's how the offside happened.
So I, I am a glutton for
punishment sometimes.
Ang: Yeah, but,
Mario: yeah.
Okay.
So KJ.
KJ.
Ang: the math, KJ was like, this is
the definition of insanity right now.
Everybody's like trying to stay
hopeful, but very stressed.
Em Woods: Mm hmm.
Ang: momentum shifts when subs
come in, which is really good, but
so much unfortunate circumstance.
And Ruby, who has been on the pod,
said it's the WTF feeling, which,
Em Woods: hmm.
Ang: I feel like there's a lot of, uh,
Freya era flashbacks happening for people
right now, and it's really stressful.
Em Woods: I feel like Angel
City more than other teams goes
on very big like runs, like
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: of losses, a run of
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: I don't know why.
Mmm,
Ang: do we.
Mario: Well, last year there was a reason.
Last year there was definite reason.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: you know, uh,
Ang: just got to get that in, that
second half of the season energy back.
Mario: yeah, yeah, there's,
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: think it, it, I mean, they've
alluded to it, they've talked
about, like, they're, they're,
definitely trying new things.
They're looking
Ang: Mm hmm.
Mario: strategies and stuff like
that, and it's not something
that's going to click overnight.
And so
Ang: Yeah.
Because the stuff that's
working is working,
Em Woods: Mm hmm.
Ang: but the stuff that
isn't really isn't.
And it's happening at
a detriment right now.
Mario: when we've, when we looked
at the like stats are at the
like game and you know, it's not
like we're losing like crazy.
It's just been a run of
bad luck and bad errors.
But beyond
Ang: hmm.
Mario: the team is solid,
you know, like we're like,
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: there's just, there's still
things to work on, which just
means, you know, it means that
when we check out the standings.
we see,
Ang: hmm.
Mario: just like last
year, we are dead last.
Ang: Yeah.
But it's the third week of the season.
Like we're,
Mario: season.
There's
Ang: we're not even a full month in.
Mario: There's nowhere to go but up.
So,
Em Woods: right.
Mario: long stint.
We've had a long stint on the road.
We still have one more game.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Mario: so it's just been a long time
away from home, especially because
I didn't get to go to the home, the
first game this year, so technically,
I haven't been, my season hasn't
started, so I'm just gonna say that.
In general, my season hasn't started,
because I didn't get to go to BMO.
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: it's your fault
Mario: Yeah,
Em Woods: get
Mario: yeah, I haven't been there.
Em Woods: look.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: Okay, so
Ang: the 21st, Mario.
Yeah.
Em Woods: Mm hmm.
Mario: okay,
Ang: Em's like, I'll see
you in a couple days.
Mario: Okay, and then the other, the
other thing too, right, is that, you
know, we've, it's something that is
always brought up and it's very real
about American soccer is America's huge.
So all three of these matches
have been East Coast matches.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Mario: like, they fly
back to LA, they train
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: then they fly back
out to where they're playing.
So like, travel, like, I'm
not saying those are the
excuses, but those are factors.
Okay, I'm gonna say factors,
Ang: Travel does a lot to your body,
Mario: does.
Ang: also.
Dehydration, cramping, all kinds of stuff.
Mario: Yeah, so we definitely need these,
uh, three points, um, and, and we're,
sorry, but we are definitely rooting
for Chicago to go down on this one.
We'll talk about what the strategy is
here, but the silver lining is that,
Place, sixth place all the way down to us,
there's actually only a two point sprint.
It's
Ang: That's crazy.
Mario: in the season,
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: like, so like, it's not,
it's bad, but it's not that bad.
Um, Now
Ang: So, meat and potatoes time.
This is like my favorite part of our show.
So, and this is where we're gonna,
I'm gonna ask you to like give
me some good juicy Chicago stuff.
Em Woods: Okay.
do what I can.
Ang: So overall, like, who the
heck do the Chicago Red Stars
think they are in the best way?
Like, you end up last season,
like, bottom of the barrel.
Like,
Em Woods: Yeah.
Ang: Lauren comes in.
We mentioned this earlier in the
season, we're doing like season preview,
like Lauren Davidson, new coach who
this, like, this team, night and
day difference, which is super cool.
I hate it just because we're not,
but I'm very excited, like, the team
was sold, there's new ownership,
there's like, it feels like a
lifeline was given to the Red Stars.
In the very, very best way.
And I think like, same thing with
Portland being sold, like the transition
of like the bad part is really shiny.
Like the transition out of that is
like what Chicago is doing, right?
It's a glow up.
Em Woods: Mm hmm.
Yeah.
I feel like Morale last year
was the lowest I've seen it.
Ang: Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
No.
Yeah.
I know,
Em Woods: been good from the jump.
Like I think last year.
was the first year that they
didn't make the playoffs.
Like they have been consistently good.
And so I think that is like a really
big hit and you have it around.
You, you hit the nail on the head.
It was an ownership issue where they
weren't bringing in new talent when
everybody else was signing international
players, like really wasn't happening.
Players were looking to jump ship.
And the biggest thing that
happened was, like, keeping Mal.
And, thank God, Dansby Swanson
wanted to play for the Cubs, right?
Ang: honestly, because if they
hadn't been together or they didn't
get married, Mel's not in Chicago.
Em Woods: I
Ang: Mel's where the paycheck
is, honestly, which good for her.
Yeah.
Em Woods: as she should be,
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: Like, it is good luck of
Chicago that that's how it shook out.
And
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: she's there for
the foreseeable future.
And, I think this is a team, I was
getting hopeful in the offseason.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: well, I was really scared,
but then I got hopeful because I think
Coach Lorne is the greatest gift of the
offseason, like, Not only is he a tactical
genius, a player development genius, he
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: coach, and I think anytime
you have a coach that is like, um,
you know, this is, I don't know if
it's rumor, I don't know if it's
speculation, but like, there were issues
with the, the Jamaican Federation,
Ang: Oh, that's real.
Em Woods: Is that real?
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: so the, in what I've
gathered is Lauren, Coach Lauren
was very much on the side of the
players and like them getting paid.
And like, that
Ang: And stuck it to the federation.
Mm hmm.
Em Woods: as you're bringing
somebody into an organization that
you can't, that is like a trifecta.
You cannot beat a player's
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: a technical genius,
a player development genius.
Like,
Ang: And if your coach is going to go
to bat for your players in that way,
like on the international level, of
course you're going to do that for club.
Like, to stick up for the women,
like, for the reggae girls, to be
like, no, this is uncalled for.
Like, they, they need to get paid.
They need to have better timelines.
Like, what are you doing?
We're not doing, like, you're not fining
them, you're not penalizing them for
giving them a bad situation to start with.
Like, thank you, sir.
Thank you for being a gift.
Like, one of the few men who is
coaching right now that's actually,
like, supporting their players and
supporting the organization in a
way that allows the players to be
safe and comfortable and succeed.
Like, we've talked about it a bunch on
here, I will scream about the Jamaican
team because they're just, they're
so good and they're so mistreated and
it's like, I'm so grateful Chicago has
Lauren, but at the same time I'm like,
but like, oh no, like what's gonna
happen to the Jamaican girls, yeah.
Em Woods: What
Ang: Yeah, and I hope, I hope their
federation gets their stuff together,
because like, they're so good.
Every player out of that team is so good.
Em Woods: Yeah, it's such a,
like, squandering of talent.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: when you have Bunny Shaw
saying, like, she won't go back,
Ang: Yeah.
Bunny Shaw.
Em Woods: what?
You have Bunny Shaw on your
team and you're not bending over
backwards to do what she wants?
Ang: Yeah,
Em Woods: Gosh.
Ang: She's like, I'm just asking
for my paycheck that you agreed to.
Like, not even a lot.
Yeah.
Em Woods: Yeah,
Ang: players aren't even asking for a lot.
And a lot of them are like
collegiate players that are
playing here in the States.
They don't have the money to fly
back, like, with two days notice.
Em Woods: yeah,
Ang: I don't have the money.
I'm just a regular, like, I have a
job, like, and I can't even fly cross
country overnight unless it's like,
okay, well, gonna put that one on a
credit card and think about it later.
You know what I mean?
Like,
Mario: know,
Ang: That's not a cheap flight.
Yeah, kayak, skyscanner, all the things.
But yeah, I'm, I'm so happy
for the turnaround of Chicago
because like you said, like,
they're a stalwart in the league.
They're one of the original teams.
I follow Sarah Spain on I think every
social media platform and she was in
the old ownership group and with the
sale had to like, leave the team and
even she was like, this is for the best.
I'm so happy for them.
All I want them to do is succeed and
now she's like pumping them up every
game and I'm like that's, that's who
got taken advantage of in the old system
are were the people like that and the
investors like that and it's just man,
Em Woods: um, we are seeing the
glow up era of the Chicago Red
Stars, or the rebuild, I don't
know what you want to call it,
Ang: yeah,
Em Woods: um, even better with Laura
Ricketts is their new owner and
she owns, owns the Cubs as well,
Ang: yeah,
Em Woods: knows what she's doing.
And I think it's just, they're a good
combination of just pure talent, but also
like a little, they're a little gritty,
Ang: yeah,
Em Woods: and
Ang: though, like that's, that's Chicago,
Em Woods: And I think if they,
obviously they're, they've started
really well, if they keep going
the way they're going, and on wood,
we're injury free, we're looking at a
Ang: yeah, yeah you are, because right
now you're sitting in second place right
behind Kansas City who's like goal scoring
machine, which you know I hope they
celebrate, yeah, This weekend, whenever
they score, because I have big feelings
about that, which we, which we clipped,
Mario: Yeah.
Ang: I've got, I think most people
have big feelings about that.
Em Woods: huge feelings,
huge feelings about it.
Ang: Let them cook, let them play.
So, when it comes to the Red Stars,
Em Woods: Mm
Ang: I picked three players to kind
of talk about who our fans need
to, Pay attention to because that's
who's going to be causing a problem.
Feel free to add more people if you want.
It is late.
I feel so bad for keeping you so late
and I'm just like, I could talk to
you forever, but you are a champ.
So I want to kick this off by talking
about someone I mentioned earlier, and
that's the brick wall, Alyssa Naeher,
Em Woods: Mm
Ang: America's Keeper, Chicago's Keeper.
Forever in goal, Alyssa Naeher.
Like, I've talked about her
on the World Cup episodes.
I talked about her last season.
I will never not talk about Alyssa Naeher.
Em Woods: Yeah, I think she's
such, on the field, such a
solid, captain, even though she's
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: but like, as far as steering
the ship, you know, on the field,
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: what's going on.
Um, I think she has done enough to have
complete trust and her defenders are going
to trust and listen to what she says.
Um, but I think for Chicago, there's
like stories about her, like, Like,
building furniture in people's,
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: apartments when, like,
Mario: What?
Em Woods: was too cheap
to, like, do stuff.
Like, a listener shows up at your, at
your apartment and, like, fixes stuff.
Isn't that crazy?
Ang: Or like fixing a flat tire, getting
your car picked up, like taking it
to the right mechanic, like Alyssa
Naeher is as her nickname, which
she hates apparently, but I love it.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Ang: it.
She's Uncle, like Uncle Alyssa.
Because she's that person for all of
these teammates, even on the national
team, like, this is just who she is.
She's like, stable and
stoic, and she shows up.
And it's true, because that's
exactly who she is in goal,
like, she's just consistent.
Em Woods: Yeah, I think that
is the funniest nickname.
And I'm just
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: uncle.
Ang: Uncle.
Em Woods: it definitely
describes who she is.
Like, like, she shows up for people.
And that is such a high compliment.
I hope somebody would say
that about me someday.
Like,
Mario: A
Em Woods: she's reliable.
I think she's one of those players
that, know, they always talk about
her being the first person there
and like the last person to leave.
And I think when you have that
work rate, She's not young.
I don't know
Ang: No.
Em Woods: is, but she's, you know, mid
Mario: veteran.
Ang: She's a veteran.
Yeah.
Em Woods: a good way to say it.
She's a veteran.
She's seasoned.
Ang: Yes.
Em Woods: and I feel like you
can tell not from, you know, just
because she knows what she's doing
and it just exudes out of her.
Ang: Yeah.
And I, I,
Mario: It's the, it's the, the knowledge
of, of, honestly, the knowledge that
you can't get without actually like
Ang: Mm hmm.
Mario: on the field, being, um, and,
and basically seeing things, right?
Like learning from them.
Like it's, it's that soccer
IQ that you want to keep, that
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: desperately look for.
That's why like, you know, you
can't necessarily build a whole
team of, of, rookies and newcomers
Ang: hmm.
Mario: they might be
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: college players, but
it's completely different,
Ang: The pros are different.
Mario: Yeah.
Ang: are different.
And like, Alyssa Naeher, I feel like,
in her brain, is like a radar tracker,
like you would see on like a submarine,
or something like that, and she's just
tracking the ball, she doesn't, she
like, has a heat map of players, and
then it's like, the ball is a different
color, that's what I feel like happens
for goalies, because they're so focused
on one thing, but that's, that's
what I feel like happens for goalies.
That's what makes
Em Woods: Can you imagine if her head is
Ang: sense.
It's just like, beep, beep, beep,
beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep,
you know, and then she blocks it.
That's, but it's like, she's so serious.
And she's probably having like,
either the time of her life, or she's
singing a song, like, there's probably
something really funny going on in her
head, like a little self conversation.
But she doesn't give off that vibe.
She gives off, like, this
is who I am and what I do.
And like,
Mario: You know,
Ang: I'm the only person to do this.
Mario: you know what we need to do?
Have you seen like those videos of
like, the like peewee hockey players
where like they mic up the goalie and
Ang: Yes.
Mario: they're just kind of like
Ang: And they're singing,
and like, yeah, yes, yeah,
Mario: and like kind of hear them what
they're like kind of just chatting
to themselves the whole game or
how they're yelling at the defense.
Em Woods: I think it's so funny.
So Alyssa Naeher is her friend group,
like on the national team, I think
are all very big personalities.
And like, like Megan repeated,
they're boisterous people.
And then
Ang: mm hmm,
Em Woods: which is very contrasted.
That is what I want to mic up.
I want to know what goes
Ang: yes,
Em Woods: Mm
Ang: yes.
I, like, just, just, I mean, Alyssa
and I are probably just four words, and
they're probably the funniest, like,
she's the, that, like, quiet sniper
that just sits there and waits, and
then just roasts somebody so hard in a
sentence, and then doesn't say anything
for another two hours, and I love it.
I love it.
Em Woods: I could see
Ang: So, yeah.
Alyssa Naeher, she is the
keeper of all keepers.
She wears number one.
You'll see her in goal.
That's, that's where you're
gonna see her no matter what.
She comes at a goal.
I don't know what, what happened.
Something bad happened.
Like, to get her off her line.
is a feat in itself.
But yeah, keep an eye out for a listener.
If you haven't been paying attention
already, like, get with it.
Em Woods: Yes.
Ang: Yeah.
And then next up, I picked from the
entire roster, Shea Groom, because I
feel like she is highly underrated.
And I feel like she was a steal
from Houston, who decided not
to resign her as whole thing.
Because when that trade happened, I was
very confused because I figured she would
just stay in Houston, she was doing great.
And it's just like, midfielders.
are either highly controversial because
they're so great or so, or so bad,
or they just fly under the radar and
nobody really knows until they're gone.
Emily Mangas, for example, in Portland.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Big problems.
Yeah.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: Shea Groom is dealing with,
I don't know what type of injury.
Ang: Oh,
Em Woods: she is dealing with some
type of injury, so we haven't seen her
yet, but I do think she is one of those
midfielders that is like merciless.
Ang: yes.
Em Woods: red, or not red
card, yellow card queen.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: you out, and I think you
need an enforcer, like a Julie Ertz
enforcer in the midfield sometimes,
Ang: You need somebody who's
gonna body other players.
Yeah.
Em Woods: like, Rocky's got that
a little bit, you've got, Emily
Sonnett's definitely got that,
there are some players that
that's just like their MO, and
Ang: hmm.
Em Woods: Shea Groom is one of those
players, and I think that kind of
plays into the rough and tumble
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: style that's coming.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: this is why we needed you
here, because there's been plenty
of times that we've like highlighted
players and then watched the
Ang: Because it's like,
Mario: Oh, wait, they're not playing.
Ang: they're, the availability
reports are never released when
we're like getting ready to record.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Ang: they take them down week to
week, so I'm like, I, we need to track
this, like, there's, there's some
of us who report on these things.
Em Woods: There is like, so the Red Stars
got some huge names in the offseason.
She is
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: Like Natalie,
Natalie Cuica is the other one.
And I would say Sam
Ang: Yes.
Em Woods: are the
Ang: I literally flipped a
coin to focus on Sam Orshay.
Em Woods: Yeah,
Ang: like, I don't know who to pick.
Yeah.
Em Woods: I think that's, Mario, what
you were talking about, that like,
soccer IQ, like, those three hold so
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: soccer IQ that they
were just great picks for Chicago,
Ang: hmm.
Em Woods: and
Ang: Chicago, like.
They really, really put in work this
offseason, and it's, it's so good.
Em Woods: yeah,
Ang: Yeah, your face right now
is like, mm hmm, that's my team.
Like,
Em Woods: gosh, that was
Mario: My team
Em Woods: my
Mario: for now.
Em Woods: high for Cleveland soccer.
Ang: yeah,
Em Woods: My hopes were
so low for Chicago.
I was like, it's gonna be bad, but it
Ang: yeah, yeah.
And even in our preseason stuff,
I was like, Chicago's rebuilding?
I don't know, they could come
out of the gate and be the best
team in the league and run the
table the whole season, or not.
And I was, I was right.
At least so far,
Em Woods: Um,
Ang: of the cool things,
Em Woods: yeah.
Ang: go ahead, go ahead, go ahead,
Em Woods: wanted to tell you guys
my favorite player on the team
Ang: please.
Em Woods: okay.
All right.
So, I love Allie Schlegel, who
has been starting a lot this year.
She's a forward and she was A player that
Lauren actually developed in Colorado.
So she's played for him before and she got
the first opening goal and she's just like
such a hustle Trinity Rodman esque player
Ang: Yeah.
That was a banger of a goal.
Em Woods: beautiful.
Ang: one, beautiful.
Em Woods: Yeah.
And she's another one that, you know,
this is her second year in the league.
Um, That I would be looking in
the next two to three years.
I think she'll make a name for herself.
Ang: Absolutely.
She's, she's showing up for sure.
For sure.
You guys are just having
a great season so far.
I'm highly jealous, but we'll get there.
Em Woods: You'll get there.
You'll get there.
I
Ang: We'll get there.
And then last but not least,
oh, really quick, Shea Groom.
She's in the midfield.
She wears number 10.
But like Em said, she's
got a little knock.
We may or may not see her this week.
Who knows?
Mario: And
Ang: It could surprise us.
Mario: Ali is a Ford and is number 34.
So.
Em Woods: She wears a
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: pink headband.
Like
Ang: She does.
Em Woods: it's like four
inches thick around her head.
She's worn it for years.
It's not going anywhere.
Mario: So look for the big pink headband.
Ang: Yeah.
Absolutely.
And then last but not least,
the one and only Mal Swanson,
who it is an Olympic year.
So I will be spotlighting more of the
national team players because people
need to pay attention come Olympic time.
Um, she's coming back from
a basic knee explosion.
That's the nice way to say it.
I don't want to go into too many
details for the squeamish folks,
but it was bad, like real, real bad.
But to have her back on the pitch,
Not just for the Red Stars, but like
for the game itself is so, so huge,
especially in a year where we lose
Sam Uess to like medical retirement.
Having Mal back is so, so good.
Her, again, soccer IQ, through the
roof, exciting player to watch.
Like, she's one of those people that
when they're on the pitch, you cannot
take your eyes off them because she's
so crafty and so prolific and how she
puts, she's just so ridiculously good.
And I mean, we talked
about Dansby earlier.
I will say, I wish she kept her
maiden name, because the Pew
Pew Pew calls were just so good.
Em Woods: Mhm.
Ang: now it's like, uh, Mal Swanson, ooh!
Em Woods: Yes, like
Ang: It doesn't have the same.
Yeah,
Em Woods: So
Ang: but why did you do that?
Em Woods: did you have to?
Ang: Yeah, think about the fans.
Think about the rest of us.
Em Woods: about us.
God,
Mario: You could have
Ang: And Mal Swa
Mario: you know?
Like, just
Ang: Yeah, yeah,
Mario: like the stage name basically.
You leave that
Ang: exactly.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I, I joke with Eva that like, and same for
her, as a musician, we're both like, no,
we'll either hyphenate or just not take
each other's names, because like, I worked
for, I did the work under this name.
I'm keeping that.
Like, this is how I'm known.
This is, like, I did this.
Which, no offense, that's for
everybody's choice and whatnot,
but like, if I, if I were still
competing, And then, I Get Married.
No.
Like that, this is, I created
this monster on my own.
Em Woods: nah.
Ang: own, but like, I put
the work in for this one.
Em Woods: I am kind of surprised
that the majority of soccer
players do change their names.
Ang: Same.
JJ, like Julie Ertz?
Em Woods: or BloodSew
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: Kingsbury, and, um,
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: just a lot
Ang: Yeah, it's like, it's one of
those where I'm like, who is this?
Oh, Korniak.
I'm like, what, who is Taylor Flint?
Em Woods: Who's
Ang: Who is that?
I saw that, and I'm like,
Em Woods: Where'd she
Ang: yeah,
Em Woods: Yeah.
Ang: a lot like Taylor Korniak.
That's weird.
Like, no joke, when that trade
was announced, I was just like,
And then I looked and I was
like, oh shoot, that's a big tie.
Em Woods: It was almost like she was
in witness protection, because not
only was she not with the Wave anymore,
she had a whole lesson, different
Ang: had their name.
Em Woods: Gosh,
Ang: Yeah, and everybody, there's another,
um, there's another player, Madril?
Is that who it is?
There's another player that
nobody knows who she is.
And it's like, oh, oh,
right, right, right.
But I can't think of who it is.
Anyway, it's funny.
Em Woods: there was a defender for the
Dash also, Naughton to Lund, Naughton
to Lund, Katie Naughton, her name,
got married and changed her name too.
Ang: Yeah, Katie Lund?
Em Woods: Is it Katie
Ang: Is that?
I think so.
Em Woods: Oh, I
Ang: I don't know.
Em Woods: Lots of
Ang: it's,
Em Woods: It's very confusing.
They need a
Ang: yeah, it's like, can you
just hyphenate, or just, just
give us like a transition period
Em Woods: transition
Ang: to get used to it,
Em Woods: of a year,
and then we can change.
Yeah.
Ang: yeah, absolutely, glad we,
glad we agree, we'll call the FO,
yeah, we'll just, this is the rule,
Mario: year and then
Ang: yeah, yeah, you have to pay extra
for the, the transitional last name kit,
because it takes up the entire back,
Em Woods: Mm hmm.
We'll call it the nuptials
kit, and there'll be
Mario: There you go.
There you
Ang: that'd be so good.
I love that.
So, Mal Pugh, er, Mal Swanson, see?
There's even, um, who is it, I think
it's Sandra, no, not Sandra, I know it's
Thrace, again, on Twitter, I don't know,
but she'll tweet, like, oh, Mal Pugh, and
then it's like, underneath it, I mean,
Swanson, like, ugh, sorry, but it's, it's
so ingrained, but Mal Swanson, number
nine, is gonna be coming in hot to whoever
we have, um, In goal, if it's DeeDee, if
it's Angelina, who knows at this point?
We'll see come this weekend.
Um, but Angel City, I did my best not
to focus completely on our defense again
because I just love them all so much.
I'm a, I'm big on defense.
Same for basketball.
I just, I love good defense
because it, defense wins games.
I'm just saying, that's, it does.
So, and with that, so Sarah Gorden,
queen of center backs right now, Um,
I don't have much to say about Sarah,
except, oh my god, she's so good, and
I feel like everyone in the WOSA world
is like, hold on, justice for Sarah.
Why hasn't she gotten a call up?
Where has this been?
Even I've talked about it and it's
like, maybe her, the year she got
hurt was her year to get called up.
But I'm like, no, we have new coaches.
We have new everything.
Why isn't Sarah getting
called up to camps?
Maybe it's because she has
a kid and she's declined it.
I don't know, but I need an answer.
Em Woods: Yeah.
I think that's one
Ang: I need an answer.
Em Woods: soccer's greatest mysteries is
she's such a, you know, iron woman, such
Ang: Mhm,
Em Woods: the way she defends is
phenomenal, and she shuts people down,
and I think she's the only person
that could hang with Tamwa Chawenga.
Ang: oh yeah, yeah, Chawenga, Asisat,
like, she has effectively shut them
down, and yeah, that's one of those,
those are players that like, they're
gonna score, no matter how good your
defense is, how good your keepers are,
they're going to score at some point,
you just hope it's not against your team,
Em Woods: Yeah.
Ang: but it was against us both times,
but to shut down and frustrate Asisat
so much she gets carded, And, like,
could've, should've probably gotten
carded a second time and sent off, but
that's a, that's another, like, chaos
award, was the cards of the first weekend.
Like, 20 cards were
given across the board.
But, yeah, Sarah Gorden,
just, man, she's so great.
And she's so cool.
Em Woods: Effortlessly
Ang: an effortlessly cool, yeah,
like, there's no way I'll be as cool
as Sarah Gorden, literally ever.
She has such a fantastic story too,
coming from Chicago, like being from
Chicago, playing in Chicago, working
her way up to becoming a starter, being
essentially like a walk, like she got
drafted, but like a walk on, who had to
fight for her time, someone who had a
kid in college and still came back to
play and just, oh, Sarah, and to be a two
sport athlete in college is difficult.
To be a two sport athlete in high school
is hard, college is almost impossible
because they like effectively don't let
you, and she's a track and field star
and a soccer star, has a kid middle
of college, comes back, rules the
world, basically, works her way up to
a starter position for the Red Stars.
decides to leave Chicago, comes to LA, and
immediately gets injured two days after
she met Eva, which I don't hold it against
her, but I'm just saying, what is that?
Em Woods: Yeah.
Ang: yeah, they met at like our
favorite little coffee place that's
now closed, which is the worst thing
to have happened in like the last year.
But she texted me and was like,
I think Sarah Gordon is here.
And I was like, go say hi.
She texted me and was like, Like,
the first Angel City kit she
bought was a Sarah Gordon kit.
Like, we, we love Sarah
Gordon in this house.
And, I mean, defense, defense itself
we love, but Paige and Sarah, M.
A., and Captain Ali Riley, like, that's
my, that's my back line forever and ever.
And, like, Sarah is just so kind and so
gracious and just needs more attention.
Like, she needs to be recognized
for all of the things she does.
Em Woods: Mm
Ang: Because she's co captain
now, she's like, she's such the
veteran that you want on your team.
And I just, I can't say
enough good things about her.
That's it.
That's, that's Sarah Gorden.
Em Woods: Deserved.
Yeah.
Yes.
Ang: Defender, like I said,
on our backline, number 11.
THE.
It's like THE Ohio State,
but like THE Sarah Gordon.
Yeah.
That's capitalized.
Um, and now to Maggie Doherty Howard,
who we picked up from San Diego.
In the midfield, there's a lot of
talk after Savannah McCaskill went
to San Diego, Dani Weatherholt was
announced to be going to North Carolina.
Like, oh my God, what are we going to do?
Like our midfield was
already kind of swish cheesy.
Now it's just a circle.
Like there's all this chaos.
And this was such a pickup that
I don't think people realized was
going to be as impactful as it is
already because she has experience.
She's a veteran.
She comes in I mean, San
Diego is a hell of a team.
From the jump, and to swoop someone who
was part of that was super important.
And she's already locking it down for us.
She had, she's played amazing the
last couple games, and just is playing
really well with Kennedy Fuller.
And it's really fun to see because she's
also an offensive playmaker, so she
can get the ball to the final third and
really push our offense when needed.
Like, she can dispossess the
other team and just really keep
things going, which is really fun.
And she's kind of like, under the radar,
in that sense, like between the, she
got announced and like a week later
Rocky was announced and that really
blew, blew things out of the water.
Em Woods: She's
Ang: Rocky's just different.
Em Woods: Maggie's been in the
league for a minute, right?
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: for a minute.
I think it's probably good for
a player like Kennedy Fowler to
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: with that pairing of like Rocky
who's been in, you know, I don't know.
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: all been a name that has started
for forever and then Maggie too, um,
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: and you
Ang: And even like Amandine Henry coming
from like, international, like, to have
Rocky and Mandy as like, the people you
look up to, and Maggie too, but like,
those are international superstars.
Yeah.
Em Woods: and then you're just 16.
How old is she?
16?
Ang: 17.
She turned 17, like, a month ago.
Em Woods: She's just a
Mario: she turned 17 like
two days after her signing I,
Em Woods: She's, she looks
young out there, but she doesn't
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: She definitely
Ang: No.
Em Woods: She uses her
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: um, but I'm, she probably
learns a lot from that crew.
Ang: Oh, absolutely.
She's, she's tough.
Em Woods: Mm.
Ang: like, I can't, I was very
mentally strong as an athlete
at 17, but not like that.
She's, she's very much, like, played
soccer in a past life, has this
otherworldly experience, I think.
But, yeah, Kennedy Fuller, what a champ.
Maggie is number seven in the midfield.
She has one bun, Kennedy Fuller
has two, so like, that's how you
can tell them apart because they
look very similar from far away.
Em Woods: Mm
Ang: one's number 7, one's 17.
It's, it's easy to, to mix up.
Although Kennedy kind of looks
like Jojo Siwa from far away.
Yeah, that's, yeah.
Em Woods: You could, yeah.
Ang: She, Kennedy got knocked
into during the first game, and
Eva was like, you can't hit her
like that, she can't even vote!
Like, you can't, she's a child!
Em Woods: She's a minor.
Ang: she's a minor, definitely.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Mm
Ang: Alright, and last but,
Mario: doing back at 17, it's just
Ang: oh, No.
Em Woods: mm.
Ang: I'm just grateful the internet
isn't, wasn't what it is now for me then.
I got to have a lot more fun quietly
Em Woods: You
Ang: and I didn't even
do anything that bad.
Yeah, we got to grow up and just.
Mario: because it took too
long to get onto the internet.
The dialogue just
Ang: Yeah, it took 20 minutes.
Alright, and then our bike shop owner,
bike shop extraordinaire, Syd Leroux.
We, Mario mentioned it on an Instagram
post the other day, but we do have
a Syd Leroux, Angel City bike shop,
bicycle kicks for everybody t shirt.
So, if you need one, pick one up.
But, I really think her revenge
tour is still going, because
she's playing a full 90.
She's It feels like she Benjamin Buttoned
a couple years to be like pre injury Syd.
Em Woods: Mm hmm.
Ang: Even like how she was
playing after Cassius or after
Rue, like that post pregnancy,
like, I will take over the world.
I am like the ultimate person.
That's how Syd feels.
Syd feels like 2019 Syd.
World Cup Syd.
Em Woods: She is the ultimate competitor.
I feel like I
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: over.
Mainly any other player as far
as like competitive spirit.
Like,
Ang: Absolutely.
Em Woods: like you can see in her
eyes, I think it was this last game
in Kansas City when she, did she
Mario: Oh, she got knocked.
Ang: Yeah, when she's,
Mario: score?
Ang: no she scored,
Mario: but then
Ang: oh, but when she got,
Mario: back up.
Yeah.
Ang: yeah,
Em Woods: Lola Bonta had not stepped
in front of whoever that player was,
Ellie Wheeler, I think that's who
Ang: that's their, that's their
like 17 year old too, Sid was
ready to send her back home,
Em Woods: you could see
Lola was like, chill, chill,
Ang: yeah,
Em Woods: Like,
Mario: is, this would be assault on a
minor, like, I gotta, I gotta check.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Yeah, Sydney was definitely,
like, thinking about, like,
okay, I have kids, I can't go out
Ang: yeah,
Em Woods: um,
Mario: I think, I think
she even commented that.
She even
Ang: yeah,
Mario: like, in a, in a, yeah, like,
someone asked, like, like, oh, like,
what, you know, what, like, she knew, she
looked like she was about to, you know,
like, like, wreck someone or whatever,
and she's like, it's because I, you know,
kept my cool because I have my kids.
My kids are
Ang: yeah,
Mario: like that.
Ang: yeah,
Em Woods: Yeah,
Ang: Sid is,
Em Woods: her look when she, when
they're down and she scores and she
grabs the ball out of the net and
is, like, chucking to start, like,
she's trucking, like, ready to start.
Don't get in her way.
Ang: nope,
Em Woods: No.
Ang: it's always like, she has the ball in
her hand, the camera always catches her,
When she's looking at someone going, let's
effing go, and she'll say it like three
times as she's just charging towards the
midfield, like, we go again, and like,
Em Woods: Mm
Ang: yeah.
Yeah, I love, I love Syd.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Ang: A hundred percent.
Yeah.
Mario: I do like the, the switching up of
like, um, we, we didn't, we started to get
it a little bit, but like the switching
up with like Sydney and then having
Messiah come in, um, uh, you know, like
as a, basically as a super sub, um, and
then I'd love to see like Messiah being
there with Sydney coming in as a super
sub, because again, we keep talking about
soccer IQ and then having, um, Having
Sydney come in in the game, fresh legs,
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: that soccer IQ, like with Messiah,
we got fresh legs and we've got like grit
and like she's just gonna go full bore.
But then, you know, it's a different,
it's a different sub when you put in
Sydney as a super sub, and then fresh
Ang: also want to see
them together though.
Like, give me, give me Syd in the
middle, Maasai on the outside,
and like Claire on the other wing.
Like, give me that.
I will, I just want to see what
happens, because I feel like
that would terrorize some teams.
Mario: I'll, I'll set
up that text to tweet.
Em Woods: Yeah, I don't, that's a have
two really good players right there,
Messiah Bright and Sydney Leroux,
but I do think she is, if you sub
in Sydney Leroux, you're doing okay.
Like that is
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: an amazing sub to put in.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: What is, what is it?
Champagne problems?
Like
Ang: off the bench, just
as like their rotation,
Em Woods: hmm.
Ang: it's like, oh, okay, we're all right.
Em Woods: That's
Ang: I mean,
Em Woods: Marta.
Like,
Ang: right?
Em Woods: now Marta comes on.
Okay.
Ang: Oh, great.
I wonder if she'll be great
this game or just, like, good.
Like, what?
Yeah, Marta, man, Marta's just cool.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Ang: I mean, we, we did frustrate
the bejesus out of her in Orlando
a couple weeks ago, which I don't
think I've seen her lose her
cool like that in a long time.
Mario: Yeah,
Ang: I appreciate it.
Em Woods: the last, you
know, just played them.
And I, it was kind of similar
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: very animated, very
like competitive and intense.
And I liked it.
Like I love intense.
I, I feel like Alyssa Thompson
has been more intense, more
Ang: hmm.
Em Woods: than she has been, and I
love these players that are just kind
of like, letting it go, and like,
Ang: Yeah.
Em Woods: to win.
Ang: Yeah.
What were you going to say, Mario?
Mario: was gonna say Marta, um, it,
it, it seems like, it, it seems like
there's a little bit of a, of a slack
on, on Orlando, where like, Marta has
to like, she's filling in like two to
three like positions at once, you know?
Ang: Mm hmm.
Mario: But she's also that good,
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: she can be two to
three different positions
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: and be like,
Ang: There's definitely, like, a
communication situation happening
on Orlando right now because
she's more frustrated, I think,
at her own team than the defense
of the opposing team right now.
Because it feels like, at least in
the game against us, that she was,
like, so frustrated with the younger
players on her team, which I get it.
Mario: far.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: was essentially every
time, every time the team went
defensive, like, she was basically
the fifth defender back there.
Like,
Ang: Mm hmm.
Yeah.
Mario: the way back,
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: all the way to the front
whenever the momentum changed.
So, like, there
Ang: Yeah,
Mario: there's
Ang: there is some frustration.
Mario: there.
Em Woods: Can you imagine
Marta yelling at you?
Like, you
Ang: No.
Em Woods: and Marta's like, scolding
you, and you're like, oh my gosh,
Ang: Do I quit or do I come back tomorrow?
Like, what do I do?
Yeah.
Mario: if if if a player starts yelling
at you it's like it's like when I get
yelled at by my mom and and Like she
reverts back to like Spanish I'm no
longer being yelled at in English.
It's like now in Spanish I'm like, oh,
it's a whole different language now.
Okay, like I'm just her yelling
at you in Portuguese You don't
even know why you're being yelled
Ang: You're just like, oh, no.
Yeah.
Or the I'm not mad, I'm disappointed.
That.
Ooh.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Mario: to go there?
Ang: Flashbacks for all three of us, real,
real, happened in real time, just now.
Alrighty, so between the two teams,
between Chicago and Angel City,
Angel City has won one, we have
tied once, we have dropped two.
I think the first two, the
losses happened, Oh, no.
The loss happened the last
game of the first season.
I will not forget that because that's
what took us out of the playoffs.
But it is what it is.
Clean slate this season.
We'll see what happens this weekend.
Mario: We can only
Ang: Yeah, exactly.
We could only go up and if Portland
keeps doing what they're doing,
that's what's going to happen.
As long as we don't keep doing the same.
Em Woods: Yes.
There was a video
Ang: Absolutely.
Em Woods: um, when Chicago was hanging out
in 12th, and I was like trying to think
of all the good things that were 12th.
Ang: Yes.
Em Woods: like, it was hard.
It was hard.
Like, you can't find many,
but it will get better.
Mm hmm.
Ang: It's the beginning of the season.
We've done it before.
We can do it again.
Mario: Yes, mm
Ang: Yes.
Mario: All right, well,
that has been our episode.
Thank you for watching.
Chugging through this whole
thing, Em, you are, it
Ang: You're a champ.
Mario: bed time.
Em Woods: Oh, this is like,
this is so fun for me.
Like, thank you so much for allowing me
to come on and like, get to know you guys.
I'm so thankful.
Yeah.
Mario: you so much.
Like, like, I kid you not, when we,
you know, when we shot our shot and
said like, hey, let's reach out to
this, you know, the thing is that we've
been on a high where been shooting
our shot and it's been working.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: know, so like there's other things
that we've also been like, you know
There's been things where I just kind
of went to Angela and be like, um, so I
messaged this person and she's like why?
But then it but then it turns out
Ang: it works out.
Mario: out.
So it's just like or you know Keep to
our Instagram because we're gonna be
posting up about it, but like we're
doing this out of fun But like also, you
know, we're not looking to make money
off of this right now or at all You know,
we're not like that's not the reason why
we're doing this But we've also had fun
just being like reaching out to people
and being like hey We like what you do.
Can can we help
Ang: It's the community.
Mario: be like
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: about to have like a fun
giveaway this month and You And
so, yeah, keep, keep an eye on
our Instagram and keep that going.
But like, it's, yeah, we shot our shot
and they said, yeah, we'd love to help
and then kind of partner it up with
Ang: Good things keep happening.
Mario: yeah.
So, know, keep an eye out on all that.
And thank you so much for coming.
Um, again, reminder of
where to watch and listen.
Next match is going to
be Saturday, April 13th.
The Reds, we're going to be at.
The Red Stars, SeatGeek Stadium
in Bridgeview, Illinois at 6 30 p.
m.
for a L.
A.
start time, uh, if you're going out to
Chicago or if you're a fan in Chicago
that's gonna go to the game, let us know.
It'd be fun to hear who, like, it's
been fun because we also got, for
the, for the Kansas City match, we
had a, um, friend that was at the
match, uh, they were tailgating with
the Kansas City, um, supporters groups
and someone Mentioned to them that
they listened to our pod, um, before
the game, and we're like, what, what?
Ang: What?
Mario: Kansas City fan
that listened to them?
That's
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: So,
Ang: And it wasn't just
the Kansas City episode.
Like, no, like, I listen every
week and I was like, what?
You, people do that?
Like, you know, it's one of those
where it still feels so special.
When we, when we get people who know
the podcast, listen to us, follow
us on Instagram, whatever it is.
So thanks everybody.
Mario: So, uh, the game will be
streaming on ION TV, uh, or, streaming
on TV, check your local listings,
check our Instagram, it'll be there.
Easy, but not that easy to find.
Like, yeah, yeah.
Uh, it'll also be on iHeartRadio.
So if you can't watch the game, listen
to Isaac and Tracy, uh, on iHeart.
Uh, download the app.
It's, there's a big giant Angel City
button to just listen to the game.
Um,
Ang: in Angel City and you
basically go to the station that
Mario: yeah.
Ang: has the games live
and then replays them
Mario: Or,
Ang: and over and over again.
Mario: whenever I actually get the chance
and the kids aren't hogging the TV, I
will sync up iHeart and the TV broadcast.
So listen to their radio broadcast.
It's just a little more exciting.
There is an official watch party from
Angel City, which will start at 5.
30, the kickoff is at 6.
30, it's gonna be at Tom's Watch
Bar in downtown LA, across from
the Staples Center, uh, at LA Live.
Don't make me say the other name.
And And, uh, we will also be
reposting any of the, uh, sg watch
parties, um, all over la Uh, usually
there's one in the OC somewhere.
There's one somewhere, um, in the,
uh, like kind of east, uh, east LA or
Ang: East side.
Mario: area.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: Yeah.
So, uh.
Keep an eye for all of those.
So thank you, Em, for coming.
You can follow the amazing, talented,
hilarious Em Woods on TikTok.
Ang: We're just going to gas you up.
That's, that's what we do.
Mario: yeah, just it, yeah.
There's a reason why we also don't do this
on video too, because like there's a bunch
of times where we're just like, um, on
Ang: Or I'm crying.
Em Woods: Yeah.
Ang: of the two.
Em Woods: yeah, yeah.
Mario: Em Wood TikTok.
NWoods Casual, so that's E M W O O D
S C A S U A L, check her own podcast
out with Ali, her partner, uh, it's
called Across the Pond NWSL, you can
search for it on all those places,
or you can actually go to our website
that, we have a section on our website,
it's called, The Support WOSO Pods.
And that's it for this portion of our
site, we've been keeping track of WOSO
pods that we just kind of learn about
and there's a whole database there,
Ang: you can buy a shirt.
Mario: and you can buy a shirt, you can
buy a shirt that says, support WOSO pods.
Ang: Mm hmm.
Em Woods: Oh, I
Mario: Wait, no, it's says
Support Women's Soccer Podcast
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: doesn't have our
branding on it, and it
Ang: And there's a little QR code.
Mario: code, so if anybody
runs into you, you can tell
Ang: Mm hmm.
Mario: that little QR code
and find yourself a podcast.
if you wanna check that out, go to
casual fc.com/support VSO pod, or just
Ang: Definitely.
Mario: You'll see the, the
item in the menu right there.
Ang: Definitely.
And if you like what you heard today on
this fantastic episode, make sure you
hit subscribe wherever you're listening.
Check out casualfc.
com for all the podcast links to
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, a whole
bunch of other places I don't
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And if you look, if you're looking
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the more engagement the better.
It's free, takes about four seconds
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If you want to grab some merch, like
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whatever else we come up with because
we're working on stuff now, we've said
that for a few weeks, but it's hard.
It's hard.
Yeah, it's hard and it's complicated.
You can go to shop.
casualfc.
com.
Like I said, a bunch
of silly ideas coming.
We're working on stuff now.
So hopefully We can get something
out in the next couple weeks
because there's a lot going on
Mario: Yeah.
Ang: and we've got some great
players that we want to spotlight.
And then last but not least, if you feel
so inclined and you want to monetarily
support the pod, you can buy us a coffee
by checking out our link in all of our
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com slash casualfcpod.
Thank you to all of those
who have actually done this.
Um, we've gone to lunch together.
with the donations towards the pod a
couple times and it's been really fun.
Mario: it towards the pod,
but I mean, lunch is nice
Ang: But those are planning meetings.
Mario: Yeah.
Ang: those are planning meetings.
We just have to eat at the same time.
Mario: Yeah.
Ang: all.
So thank you.
And you can follow us on social
media at casualfcpod on Instagram,
Twitter, threads, and TikTok, but
realistically, you know we only really
update Instagram, and I'm over there
tweeting about everything under the
sun on my personal account, so I
forget our Twitter actually exists.
So we're on the internet, you can
find us, and then we'll We need all
the good luck we can get because of
Mel Swanson and Alyssa Naehern and
everybody else on Chicago this week.
So make sure you tell a
friend about the podcast.
It brings Angel City good luck.
Sorry, but I gotta.
We joke that we bank good luck
wishes here, send them to the
team as they fly out of town.
So we need all the luck
we can get right now.
Em Woods: Yeah.
It'll be a good match regardless.
Ang: Absolutely.
Thank you again for staying up
late and hanging out with us.
We appreciate your time and I cannot
wait to talk to you about all things WOSO
this summer and WNBA and all the things
because it's going to be a fantastic
summer of women's sports and the Olympics.
There's so much to talk about.
Mario: much.
Ang: There's so much to talk about.
Mario: there
Ang: Thank you for listening.
We'll see you this week at the game.
Mario: Bye!
Ang: Bye!