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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: We should do
more episodes like this.
This is fun.
Shenanigans.
Shenanisodes.
Oh, Shenanisodes.
Mario: I might not even edit this one.
I don't know.
We'll see.
Maybe I will.
Welcome to Casual FC and
Angel City preview pod.
I'm your host Mario Salazar with my
fully rested now co host Angela Morales.
Angela: Maybe.
Mario: Maybe.
She played a little nap roulette this
afternoon, which is always, as the
name implies, is always a gamble.
You never know.
As soon as your head hits that pillow, you
never know when you're going to wake up.
Angela: Listen, I went
on vacation for a week.
This is, I was going to put this in
later, but I feel like this is, I'm just
moving up our little banter section.
so when I went to Phoenix for WNBA All
Star Weekend, went to a recording of A
Touch More with Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe
and two special guests, who I'm not going
to say because the episode's not out yet.
And then I went to a panel of a
bunch of like, major basketball
Mario: stars,
Angela: Commentators, it was amazing.
And then, three point contest,
skills contest, who were won by
the same person, which was amazing.
It was the first time it's ever been done.
a three, the, what, Team USA, three
by, three on three exhibition game.
then the next day was All
Star Game and WNBA Live.
it was so much fun, but it was 111
degrees and I had to walk outside a lot.
no matter how much we were replenishing
liquids, electrolytes making sure
we were eating, it did not matter.
Mario: They were instantly going
Angela: and then the cool thing was,
Eva and I were driving back, and we
had to make a detour to Long Beach.
Because after we recorded
with Jax from Watch Me!
Sports Bar
Mario: How fancy of you.
Angela: We, we got the
you like that segue?
I thought I was pretty proud of it.
Um, we got an invite.
Mario couldn't make it, but we got
an invite to their soft launch.
we got to go try out the food, the drinks,
the mocktails, little champagne toast.
I have a bunch of videos and stuff
we're gonna put together, but I'm
so friggin happy for M, for Jax,
for the whole team at Watch Me!.
They are bursting at the seams already.
Mario: just looking at the
videos from like weekend.
It's been crazy.
Angela: yeah, Vero who listens
to the podcast and sits in front
of me in 227 told me the other
day that she couldn't get in.
Like they were at capacity for like
hours and she just was like, we
gave up and I was like, that's okay.
Mario: that's okay.
Angela: which
Mario: But
Angela: have to come to our watch party.
Mario: exactly.
Angela: queen tonight.
Oh my God, I'm
Mario: I told you were rested.
I told you were rested.
Angela: Yeah, so if you haven't seen
it on Instagram, officially have a
scheduled watch party at Watch Me!
On August
Mario: 24th.
Yes.
yeah.
So I am very proud of all the segue.
You went seamlessly through all
of this like a professional.
Exactly.
I'm sitting here looking at our
script being like, first of all, this
recording literally got thought up
of like yesterday night or something.
It was like, hey, we should
probably record something.
And it's like, all right, I may
have some time tomorrow, but.
So I slapdash together a script.
Just to give us some structure to go on
and we've thrown that out the window.
It's,
Angela: know what?
Mario: we're calling this, we're
calling this our Let's Get Weird
episode and honestly, yeah.
so okay, just to touch,
touch base real quick.
August 24th, it's going to be the
away match versus the San Diego Wave.
We will be having a watch party.
Our first one.
In Long Beach, at Watch Me!
Sports Bar.
So anyone not making the trek
all the way down to Snappy.
and you don't want to sit in
full sun in an unshaded stadium
at 1 o'clock in the afternoon.
Stay local.
Angela: Yeah, just head down to Long
Mario: Head down to Long Beach, let's
pack that place out with Angel City fans.
let's make it, an Angel City bar.
There's, let's not let
San Diego creep up north.
no.
Angela: We got to stake our claim.
Mario: Exactly.
Angela: has been approved as
an official Angel City bar.
So we have to prove it
Mario: Yes.
Angela: So Olympics will be over.
We'll all be like re regulated back
Mario: Summer Cup will be over.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Back to regular
season and just come hang out.
The food is great.
The drinks are great.
The atmosphere is fantastic.
we'll have a whole bunch of stickers
and stuff and hopefully a raffle.
We're trying to get together
some cool stuff now to make it
definitely worth everybody's while.
Mario: I am ordering a ton of stickers.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: they're being processed and we'll
get them before, so we'll have a bunch
of stickers for free for everybody,
new stickers, some old stickers, really
the only sticker we've had really has
been our logo, so we have brand new
ones, and, yeah, it's gonna be fun,
and we'll make it as fun as we can,
where let's pack that place out, stay
cool, have a nice drink, not sit in the
sun at one o'clock in the afternoon,
And not have a three hour drive.
it might be a three hour drive
depending on where you're coming
from to Long Beach, but still,
it won't, it definitely won't
be a three hour drive back home.
So there you go.
Angela: Absolutely.
Mario: Okay.
Angela: there's a whole bunch
of stuff happening this summer.
I don't know
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: noticed.
We've got the Olympics.
We've got national team stuff.
We've got controversy.
We've got the Summer Cup.
We've got a roster
we've never seen before.
this feels very, Stefan Skit from SNL.
In the best way.
Mario: I've seen the meme, actually,
with Stefan, listing a bunch of,
WoSo that's happening at the moment.
yeah.
Angela: like.
It's bonkers.
Mario: Okay, so let's start off
with, the biggest thing, which
was, which is the Olympics.
Paris, we have our Olympic episodes
that came out, recapped all the teams.
We gave you the heads up that
games were going to happen
before the opening ceremonies.
There's already been shenanigans and,
Angela: we'll talk about.
Mario: and, but I think the biggest
thing so far has been Spygate.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: been,
Angela: like above and
beyond a chaos award.
Mario: yeah.
Angela: Yeah.
So for those who haven't seen all the
details, it's a whole bunch of things.
The New Zealand women's team.
Saw a drone flying over their practice,
ends up being Canada's team, like the
other folks associated with the Canada
Mario: Canada staff.
Angela: Thank you.
I
Mario: Extended staff.
Angela: for this.
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: who was flying it gets
sent home, an eight month, jail
sentence that gets postponed.
It's this whole thing.
And then a bigger
investigation starts to happen.
There's a fine.
And the next thing you know, it's been
tracked back that Canada has been doing
this since at least 2021 in some way,
men's and women's, which I think is really
funny because the men spied on the U.
S.
men's team or like the men's
staff for Canada spied on the U.
S.
men's team back then and then
lost four to one, which I think
is silly being that it's the U.
S.
men's team and can we win?
Who knows?
But, okay, the way this feels to me,
and this feels very, it's very difficult
to explain and difficult to comprehend,
for the most part, I don't think the
players had any clue this was happening.
And the integrity of the team, like
the, in the locker room, that team,
those players, in my eyes, still stands.
Mario: yes, that they're very much
a, this was very much in any report
that's been happening so far has
been, this is an isolated thing to the
leadership towards the coaching staff.
And
Angela: common players in the
coaching staff from the women's team
that then went to the men's team.
there's a lot of which makes sense why
this happened in the way that it happened.
Bev
Mario: I,
Angela: is now gone for a year, the
Mario: which a year seems
Angela: it seems like nothing.
Mario: yeah, you
Angela: you
Mario: Like you cheat in a casino, you're
banned for like life, like you're like,
there's, and there's something to say that
even though the players, I feel bad
for the players because they, through
a lot of this, through a lot of
what's coming out, you can see that
they're not the ones being, they're
not responsible, they're not involved.
Angela: Yeah.
They're
Mario: Yeah, that could only go s
Angela: feel the brunt of it and then
end up with the most repercussions.
Mario: They're the ones that have
this hanging over their heads this
entire, Olympic run right now.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: the thing is that, like, when
you're working in a system that was
developed by the coaching staff, and
that system was developed, In ways where
it's we figured stuff out and we're
gonna make sure that we train X, Y, Z,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: yes, players are not the
ones that were involved, but they
also still are benefiting from this,
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: yeah.
Angela: this is where my like,
I'm very proud of this analogy.
I brought it up in our discord,
which guys, we have a discord.
Come hang out online with us
and be nerds on the internet.
It's real fun.
We have a bot that makes haikus.
It's just a great time.
But I brought this up and it flew under
the radar, but given that it's also the
20, anniversary of one of my favorite
movies of all time, this is honest to God
playing out almost exactly Bring It On.
And I say this so seriously, yes, it's
funny, but New Zealand seeing the drone
is Missy taking Torrance to Compton.
Big Red is Federation.
I like, I can take this, I can take
this down to like minutiae detail,
but feels very much I set this up for
you and you've ruined it after the,
everyone finding out about the drone is
Sparky Palastri, it's just, it's insane.
I feel like such an idiot
talking about this like this,
but it's so important to me.
Mario: clip and I'm gonna have to look
for each one of these characters like
Angela: Yes.
you have a team that has been so good
for so long only to find out that
they're stealing stuff from other people.
And it.
People are like, oh,
but it's like game film.
It's but it's different because spying on
another team technically cheating because
you're, you're not supposed to have
access to the internal workings of a team
Mario: yeah
Angela: opponent.
it undermines general
sportsmanship and general
Mario: yes
Angela: camaraderie within sport.
It then goes into like the argument
of stealing signs in baseball.
coming up with a plan to steal signs and
banging on a freaking trash can wearing a
microphone like it's what the heck having
TVs like all this big setup when sometimes
you just tip a pitch by accident and you
and your team the opponent realizes that
Mario: yeah
Angela: and cap oh okay we're making
these adjustments in game which is a
lot different than planned adjustments.
Mario: and the thing is that like
it's If you've been listening to any
of the commentary, and this is my,
my advanced casual coming out here.
if you join the Discord, you'll get,
the different casual levels that we
have there, and they don't mean anything
except what you want to call yourself.
Everybody gets the same stuff.
But, in a lot of the commentary and a lot
of the, pundants talking about this, or
just talking about it even before all of
this broke, it was about, The fact that
the Olympic schedule is so compressed
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: that you, your strategy
ends up being different
than say a World Cup, right?
But even a World Cup, the thing is
that like you, you come in to each
one of these tournaments, because
they're slightly different with a
different type of strategy, right?
Whether it's score first, then hold on
to everything, or hold on to dear life,
and then make it through the groups.
it's, because it's so compressed,
and a smaller roster, like you
have to be smarter about things.
So the fact that you got eyes on their
tactics, You got eyes on the tactics.
That
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: you the leg up.
It gave you the, what are they
doing in this short period?
Oh, let me best them, unfortunately
for Canada, they did get hit
with a six point penalty, in,
Angela: made up.
Mario: but it's not going to
get them out of the groups.
Angela: I don't know.
I don't know.
It depends.
Mario: let me look at the stats live
as we're recording this right now.
Angela: It's just a really
unfortunate situation.
players who had no idea this was happening
and that they were being used in a way
that they didn't necessarily consent
to and that's a bigger issue for me
because if everybody like the astros if
the majority of people are buying in and
everybody's down to cheat then cheat midge
said do it better like call bill belichick
would cheat better midge said that with
sam muis who was like whoa because she's
a big patriots fan but cheat better If
you want players to, be fine with this
or cover for you, they have to know.
Vanessa Gilles is big mad,
Mario: yeah
Angela: I hate that the
players are in this situation
because it's so unfair to them.
And yet, still like, they benefited, so
should they have been just disqualified?
is the
Mario: I mean there was there were
calls for them to just be completely
out like just completely kicked out
Angela: Yeah.
Are they
Mario: I yeah
Angela: stuff rescinded?
there's so much that now is in
limbo this team that it's gonna
have repercussions like crazy.
Mario: and yeah they are at because of the
six point reduction they won their first
two matches they're at zero Columbia and
damn it went away Colombia and France are
ahead of them with three points each, but
they face Colombia in their last match.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: we'll see what happens
if they make it through.
It's the top two teams in every group
because there's only three groups.
Top two teams will make it on
to the knockout rounds plus
the next two best performing
Angela: Yeah, I think on goal
differential they make it out regardless.
Mario: Yeah.
we'll see what happens.
no matter what happens, however far they
go, they will have this asterisk on them.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Bonds
Angela: Yeah.
It's a generation of players who are now
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: some really shitty decisions by
their Federation because the report that's
coming out or that has come out basically
said from ex staffers that if you didn't
buy in and if you weren't down to go
Mario: Oh yeah.
You got left.
Angela: you got fired.
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: Which
Mario: So
yeah.
the whole federation's going to get
Angela: That's why I said
the Federation's Big Red.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: She puts the itch in bitch.
Sorry.
I love this movie guys.
Eva knows, like we, I may or may
not have two t shirts coming.
That will be proudly, sported, But
Mario: Okay,
Angela: actual full, that is like
the Controversy Award, but the
actual Chaos Award, at this point
in the Olympic soccer games, has
to go to the Australia Zambia game.
Mario: geez, okay, so
Angela: 11 goals.
Mario: You know doing the dad thing
on Sunday could not watch any of the
games besides the Japan game live
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: the Japan game and like barely
caught like the end of the game.
We're like, okay, we gotta go.
We gotta go Before we got we
were late to like everything that
we've paid for the kids to do.
so, I started seeing things
that it was getting crazy.
Angela: Bonkers.
Mario: I did not, I made it almost
the whole day without spoiling it.
Angela: My bad.
Mario: And then, No, you didn't spoil it.
Something else spoiled the score,
so spoiler warning for anybody, if
you haven't seen it this long, then
Angela: that's on you.
Mario: that's on you.
Yeah, it's already been a full day.
Angela: or two days, but it feels like a
Mario: Yeah.
the Zambia game ended up in 6
5 and basically at the death
was like the final score and
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: dominated.
Angela: The first
Mario: just first half the goals were
just coming Bondo with a hat trick.
Like it, it was just insane.
Yeah, I, so I watched the
highlights on the Olympic app.
Angela: little seven minute back to
Mario: Y let's,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: yeah.
Who?
Angela: Seven minute video.
It's
Mario: no.
Oh, no.
No.
Is that a thing?
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Oh,
Angela: thought
Mario: no.
Angela: watching.
Yeah.
Mario: all everything's streaming there.
And then you go to the like
highlight section and then, yeah,
you get the little highlight video.
Angela: talking about.
Mario: Oh, I thought you meant that
there was like some YouTuber that like
does seven minute recap videos and
Angela: minutes and 50 seconds.
I don't know why I
Mario: Oh, yeah, that just back to back.
Like we were sitting there, Jen and I were
watching it and she's Whoa, this game was.
Insane.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: I wish I didn't get it spoiled
and like actually got to watch it.
But either way, it's one of those things
where once you spoil the score, even
though you hear how good the game is,
it's do I want to sit there for two hours?
Angela: watch
Mario: Like I'll watch the
seven minute highlight video,
but it was, yeah, that game.
And honestly, I will say even the.
The Japan Spain game was the one
that I actually got to see live.
That one was insane.
Angela: Brazil has been, was bonkers.
Mario: Spain?
No, Brazil.
Angela: yeah, the 2
Mario: the one in the morning, the
first, one of the first matches.
yeah.
That was Brazil.
Okay,
Angela: to be up 4 2 at halftime.
Go up 6 2.
Or 5 2, excuse me.
And
Mario: 5 2.
And this is the Zambia game
again, just going back.
Angela: And, Andre from Diaspora
United, is that the podcast?
That's
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Yeah.
Also of Twitter, whoa, so Twitter fame.
he posted, here are reasons why.
The Copper Queens deserve better and it's
literally 1 through 499 their coach's
shit and doesn't and like sexual assault
and all the things that he has done.
Number 500, he's also not a good coach.
Where was their defense?
Australia is very good, but I have
watched Zambia just shut a team down.
So I'm like, I don't understand.
And
Mario: When you, okay, when you're up
6 2, I think it's about time to put
in the defense and just park the bus.
You park the bus, you park the
bus, you park the bus at 3 2.
You park the bus,
Angela: Bonda has a hat trick.
Just start subbing out all your, just come
Mario: I think it might have even
been 3 1, and it's just no, once
you get that, once you get that.
You parked the bus.
We talked about, we mentioned
really quick about strategy in
the Olympics, and it's different.
Like you have them going on and on.
You're just gonna burn them out.
So and you've only one play,
one player was on a red.
So they won't come back to the last match.
Now it's a must win situation for them.
Oh, actually, can they even
make it outta the groups?
Angela: I
Mario: Ugh.
No.
No, they can't.
Angela: And the
Mario: like
Angela: Bonda has played
five, as of recording, five or
six matches in the Olympics.
And she has.
either tied or eclipsed
Alex Morgan for goals scored
in five matches and she's catching up
to Abby Wambach like it's insane how
good of a goal scorer she is it's insane
Mario: Yeah, it's
Angela: Copper
Mario: See,
Angela: so much better
Mario: if they would have won that one,
they would have had a chance to make it
out of the groups, but they shit the bed.
Angela: yeah their
Mario: yeah.
Angela: so bad for her she was so pissed
Mario: Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Angela: in between her hands, just like,
Mario: the direct kick, yeah, just, and
that was the one right after she got
scored on, but it got called back on VAR.
And then a few minutes later, they get
that direct kick and it goes right through
her hands and she's just so defeated.
It, you feel bad for them.
Jen always, she always I feel bad
whenever they show like the other team
because the winning team is all excited.
You see the losing team and
they're just like dejected.
Some of them are crying,
especially in finals
Angela: yeah.
Mario: they're like going all out.
She's it just makes me sad.
Angela: And it's crazy because
Australia's keeper now will be playing
for Portland after the Olympic break.
So Mackenzie Arnold is
coming in to the league and,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: playing for Portland
after the Olympic break.
The goals, having five goals
scored on her makes no sense to me.
But then I'm like, oh, it was three
of those were from Barbara Bonda.
Oh, okay.
I guess I get it.
But it's, she's one of the
best keepers in the world.
And I'm still just like,
how did this happen?
Who allowed this?
Why?
What's going on?
yeah.
Mario: All right.
from,
Angela: of
Mario: yes.
Angela: to avoid it for right now.
Mario: Yeah.
we'll be keeping it to soccer.
like we said, we have, what?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: I saw TikTok today.
I was literally freaking making
blue box mac and cheese after work.
just like, flipping through
TikTok while I'm cooking and she's
look what my team, look what my
beautiful teammates did for me.
They put her jersey on.
On the sidelines, the team does a haka,
and I'm in the kitchen with my stupid
mac and cheese tonight, blubbering.
I sent Ivo a voice message, sobbing.
I'm like, and then they did this for Cap.
did Angela cry?
Yes.
Angela's cried multiple times
over the Olympics, guys.
I'm doing it now.
game is so special, and It's just, I'm
so mad that Ali's hurt, I hope she's long
term okay, because nerve injuries suck.
I've had multiple.
Do not recommend.
Zero out of ten.
No stars.
Or one star, I would, I'm only
putting one because I have to Yelp
review, like that's what it is.
Anyway,
Mario: go zero.
Angela: justice for New Zealand.
I still think they should have three
Mario: yeah.
Angela: and Canada should have
forfeited at least that first game.
Mario: Angel City also held up Cap's kit
in the lineup photo for the last match,
Angela: Stop it.
Mario: the Summer Cup.
So let's talk Summer Cup.
Okay, to re to wrap up.
To wrap up the Olympics, we have
our three Olympic episodes covering
each group and players to watch.
We had some amazing, guests.
We had, Em woods and Ally, from the
Soccer Moms podcast covering, Group A.
We had, Lesley from Gal Pal Sports
covering Group B, and we had Casey
from Casey's on the Case, she's,
helped us cover Group C, so really
great information, really great just
talking to them in general, so go check
those episodes out, even if the group
stages are done, because all of those
players are still playing in the next
matches.
Angela: And Casey has since
launched her own podcast
because of our recording.
Mario: Yeah, she got
Angela: gave me like the, like
it, I had the bug and then we
did that and I just had to do it.
So we also have to get
her some information also.
I forgot to tell you that.
I
Mario: number, two in a bunch of different
countries already, charting, so she's, I
would, does she need information from us?
Does she need more
information from us, though?
Because, she's way beyond
what we've been doing.
so yeah, and then, after this
episode that comes out, it's
going to come out on Wednesday
We will have a recording after
the last group Stage matches, when
we know who's moving on into the
quarterfinals, taking a previewed look
into those, as we did for the World Cup.
We'll be following all the stages, so keep
an eye out for all those as they come out.
And remember, there's a giveaway.
Go, all you have to do is
comment on one of those posts.
There's only been one comment.
A lot of likes, so we
appreciate all the likes
Angela: Please
Mario: those posts.
Angela: we, We We want to, give
these away to, a good human and
a child, at least one child.
Mario: Uh, and then so the next
thing we're going to talk about
today in our kind of loosey goosey
episode has been the Summer Cup.
The thing that most of us have
been paying attention to with one
Angela: like summer vacation.
Like, oh, I have to do summer reading.
I've got time.
Like, that's what this feels like.
And then we're like, oh
Mario: this,
Angela: it's,
Mario: no, the Summer Cup has
always been totally important to
us and we've been following it.
Angela: The
Mario: With every being in
our body the whole time.
we always have, and we
respect the Summer Cup.
It is not the Challenge Cup 2.
0.
all right.
So if you keep seeing our posts on social,
we keep talking about getting weird.
Let's get weird season.
And that is a reference to a clip that
we had from one of our previous episodes
where we said, it's time to just get
weird, especially during the Summer Cup.
Let's try something new.
Get weird with it.
Put in the young kids in.
Flip the script around.
Black is white.
Up is down.
Forwards become defenders.
do whatever you want.
As long as you have a strategy
to figure some stuff out.
And like we were saying, I said
particularly, If we lost every
single game, which there's three, if
we lost all three games, but tried
something different and learned
something from those, I don't care.
Angela: but
Mario: it was the Summer Cup, but
this Summer Cup is totally important
to us and always has been, and
we've respected it since the very
beginning, and we've been winning.
So.
Angela: dun.
We won.
Mario: Twice.
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: Okay.
So I'm going to do this.
Angela: in a row.
Mario: Yeah.
That's the important part.
Okay.
I'm going to run down the rules that
I would have done in our regularly
scheduled summer cup episode.
If NWSL wasn't greedy and needed
to do this while there was an
Olympic Olympics happening.
so real quick.
This is going to sound weird.
Five groups of four teams.
How does that make sense when you
like start putting it into a bracket?
Angela: don't know.
Mario: We do know, but it's weird.
And we'll get to it.
Okay, all and there's a lot of stuff
that is, different in the Summer Cup.
So if you've been watching or you haven't
been watching or you've been keeping
one eye on it, here's a quick recap.
All matches, like normal, 90
minutes, except if they're tied,
they go straight into penalties.
There is no extra time.
there is no extra time, even in
the semi final or the final batch.
Angela: Just
Mario: just going to go straight.
stoppage.
Yes.
Angela: Oh,
Mario: No.
Angela: periods.
Mario: Yeah, no extra periods.
straight into penalties if they're tied.
In the group stages, the way we've
always played games, teams will receive
three points for a win, zero points
for a loss, and one point for a tie.
Now, like I just said, there are no
ties, you go straight into penalties.
whoever wins the penalties
gets an extra point.
all three points are divvied
up in one way or another.
so far, There have been four matches
that have gone into penalties.
So that's why the when you get
down to the actual standings,
the points gets a little weird.
There's like teams with five points
and there's teams with four points,
Angela: Yeah, it's real if I didn't
know about the two point thing going
into it and I was like, what is this?
This makes no sense.
Mario: Okay, and then, I've totally
been paying attention to every single
match, and apparently there is no VAR.
there are, like normal, four different
officials signed, center ref,
lineman, and the assistant referee,
the fourth official, there is no
VAR being used in the summer camp.
Angela: Okay, but actually mean anything?
Mario: has it actually mattered?
I, no.
And then, okay, and so this is where, if
you're trying to do the math and you're
saying, hey, math isn't mathing, we hear
you, and they have You know, they're
changing rules everywhere, so they're
going to change how this plays out.
There are five group winners, right?
But four of them are going to
move into a semi final round.
Angela: So the winning ness team
doesn't, gets a bye, basically.
Mario: No.
Angela: Oh.
Mario: Like normal.
There's, different ways to figure out
if teams are tied on points, there's
tiebreakers, goal differential, most
goals scored, how many points did the
tied teams, have against each other?
How many, what was
their goal differential?
there's a bunch of different things on
how to figure out who won the group.
But at the end of it, you have five group
winners, but you only have four spots.
you could win the group that you're in.
And still not make the semifinals, because
out of those five, it will be the top four
Angela: That's
Mario: move on into the semifinals.
Angela: But, with that
Mario: yeah.
Angela: things are coming up Angel City.
Mario: Yes, things are definitely
coming up in Angel City.
so far we have played two match
everybody has played two matches, and
the only teams on six points Kansas City
Current, of course, because why not?
Surprisingly, Orlando has not been either.
Angela: Half their teams in the more
than half their teams in the Olympics.
Mario: Yes,
Angela: Brazzalambia.
Yeah,
Mario: that's a very good point.
We have one person in the
Olympics and she's not playing.
but, yeah.
And, Angel City is on six points, so we're
the only two teams on six points out of
two matches, but then again, if you look
at the, go look at the post from the
NWSL, you'll see there's Gotham has five
points, in group five with Racing and, The
Courage, both of them are on four points,
Angela: But
Mario: the whole penalty,
Angela: Could the courage don't make it?
Mario: Right now, no,
because of goal deferential.
Angela: Woo.
Mario: against Gloob America and
we had a 2 0 win against Bay FC.
Now, I've totally been paying attention
to every single match and I have been
trusting this process the entire time.
But I have also been told that
the matches have been good.
Lots of promising things.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: I did see that we've
been trying new players.
We've been getting weird
with it, which is amazing.
And it's been working,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: right?
Angela: to rewind through the season
the end of the Regular season before
the Olympic break, Tweed was saying that
she's hoping that Messiah is getting more
minutes during the Summer Cup to build up
her fitness, all of that, because she'd
been hurt the majority of the season
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: they were hoping to
see Casey Phair because she
was like getting up to snuff.
They were
Mario: And she finally
made her appearance.
Angela: there's a lot that she'd
been looking forward to happening
that is apparently happening.
Syd's been out for a couple games,
I think more rest than anything.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Gisele is recovering from
Mario: I think at one point
it said back injury, but
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: yeah.
Angela: Yeah, there's like little
knocks I think that older players
are taking care of and resting and
recovering through and younger players
are like getting their chance to really
Mario: They're letting the youngins play.
Angela: they're
Mario: Yes.
Angela: there.
Mario: Yeah.
just the fact that we have a Casey Phair,
like actual minutes on the field, like
Angela: it's good.
She's
Mario: that's huge.
Angela: a lot of space to grow.
She's got a lot of people on
her side, like pushing her
forward, which is really good.
she's just young.
Which is insane saying that she's 16 and
young because frickin Gotham signed a
Mario: Signed a 14 year,
Angela: just
Mario: year old.
Angela: like the next day, who's
Mario: Oh, Jesus.
Angela: Frickin insane.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: but whatever.
What do I know?
Mario: so we did push out real quick, to
say, how are we, Feeling about the way the
team has handled the Summer Cup so far.
And we did get a couple of responses.
Some of them are coming from our Discord.
So go join our Discord.
Like we said, lots of fun.
Angela: everybody's so cool.
It's so nice to see, the folks we talk
to through Instagram are, like, that
message us on different platforms all
in one place because now we get to have
these super fun conversations, as a group.
jump on board.
The link's in our bio.
Or
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: message or text or DM us
and we'll just send it to you.
Mario: We'll just send it to you directly.
Yeah.
all I'm gonna start off with Katie
said, I'm not really following,
the possible matchups and paths
like one does during the world cup.
So I'm not even sure if this is a
possibility, but an ACFC Houston
rematch where Paige embarrasses again.
Angela: don't want to talk
Mario: I'm here for it.
And.
And, honestly, let me look, no, they're
not in it, no, they're, yeah, no,
they're in the group with Kansas City,
yeah, no, that's not gonna happen,
but, honestly, there's a possibility,
especially with the summer transfer window
coming up, if they do some big moves,
maybe we, if, and we do some big moves,
Angela: The thing with
Mario: yeah.
Angela: and it's what we've talked about
during the regular season, last year
and this year, is their FO is bonkers.
Their coaching staff is,
again, in interim status.
Mario: yeah, they let go.
Angela: all over the place, so I don't
know what's happening in Houston.
granted, we are a Paige Nielsen fan
club in this house, in this household.
So, all the best for Paige, honestly.
I
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: doing okay.
I hope the team's doing okay.
Because it's really hard to just
be in consistent upheaval and not
have a solid system to follow,
not have, anything make sense.
They deserve better than that.
And I'm just saying.
Mario: yeah, okay, and then, Verro
came in with, you mean Summer Camp?
Gave us a winky face.
And then, I have been watching, when I'm
able to, but not as into it as the regular
season matches, but I'm liking that the
subs are getting playing time, finally.
And, yeah, exactly, I,
Fer is getting some time.
we saw just more time with
Gisele and Alyssa before Gisele
got not a little knock on
Angela: Run
Mario: Bright is getting steamrolled.
Bright, Bright is getting
some time like we said.
our girl Anderson, Angelina
Anderson's in goal for both
Angela: looking good.
Mario: looking good.
yeah, I think we're all good there.
Angela: I'm
Mario: Dustin also came.
Angela: to match up against San Diego.
That's coming, but
Mario: that,
Angela: I'm just curious
what is it going to be?
Mario: so Justin came in with, Same
as many, haven't watched a ton,
but winning is always good, and
getting in game minutes is important.
Hopefully it acts as a mental
reset for the final stretch.
And, you know what, if we had
another, undetweeted streak
Angela: Like, honestly,
Mario: Yes.
Angela: yeah.
Mario: honestly, okay.
Hot take.
Angela: we called them to tweet it last
year, so what are we calling this season?
Yeah,
Mario: here's my hot take.
We're doing really right now.
If we keep the focus and go undetweeted
and win the Summer Cup, it's not It's not
the Supporters Shield, it's not the actual
Angela: but I
Mario: NWSL Cup,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: if we get back to the
season and things are a little
shaky, then, it is what it is.
that's, don't come at me all crazy,
but, I, hardware is hardware.
A trophy is going to be a trophy.
Angela: and even
Mario: as much
Angela: winning an in season tournament
can turn things around mentally.
It
Mario: Definitely.
Angela: fires, it can give motivation,
it, it really helps bolster a fan
base, a locker room, like there's
a lot to be said because everything
I've seen, Becky hasn't lost the
locker room yet, which is important.
Mario: Yes.
Angela: that's the sticking point
for me where I'm like, okay, The
fact that the team is still on the
same page and hoping for a better
future together says a lot to me.
And I think the Summer Cup is really
going to help push that along.
So that way, after the Olympic break,
as long as we sign some players,
because we have space on this roster,
and we are very quickly starting to
fall behind the rest of the league,
Mario: Yes.
Yes,
Angela: signings wise,
Mario: It did come up in our Discord.
Angela: did.
Mario: the question about roster space
and, I did bring up like, oh, okay.
One, salaries.
And how it actually adds up to the salary
cap is not very public information, but
there is a salary cap, that's something
that we have to keep in mind, even
though we have open spaces, once, we
have three open spaces at the moment,
once Kristen Press actually is back
active, I know she's training, she's
not active on our roster yet, as soon
as she becomes active, her salary hits
the salary cap, so depending on where
we are with everything else, which, but
honestly, it's not like we've made huge
moves, that might come into a factor,
but let's hope that there's a roadmap.
let's hope that there is I'm not
fully trusting that there is.
You got to show me.
Angela: map.
That's what it feels like.
Not so much like a map you'd get
from AAA or like a Thomas Brother.
Like a
Mario: The Thomas guide.
Angela: It's not a very clear map
that you can very easily decipher.
There's riddles and codes that need
to be deciphered and, let's just go
be Goonies for the rest of the season.
Mario: that, if we start the
matches with, instead of the three
clap, can we do, hey you guys?
Angela: Please.
Mario: Or just, I need someone
to get up on the capo stand in La
Fortaleza and do the shuffle, just
Angela: Just, please, so
Mario: something.
Angela: you in the supporter
groups who are listening,
can we have a Goonies night?
I know there's
Mario: Yes.
Angela: left to figure this out, but Tifo,
Truffle Shuffle, hey you guys, Baby Ruth
Mario: Or, or,
Angela: something.
Mario: yeah, just pass out pirate hats
with baby roof bars and then, we're good.
Angela: Yeah.
I'll bring a, a Jolly Roger and
I'll fly it in 227, we got you.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: I, if y'all can help me
get in the stadium, I'll do it.
Mario: Alright then, Ethan came
in with, cautiously optimistic.
I don't think either match was a
good barometer of where we're at, but
regardless, the momentum should help.
It was great seeing
Vignola back on the field,
Angela: Our
Mario: as well as some good
minutes for Bright and Fair.
So, I, there's good stuff.
And honestly, I'm just reading these
straight off because we didn't have time
to Format any of these, and split it
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: between the two of us.
Angela: listeners, I can't reach my phone.
Mario's watching me try to,
find something that can hook it.
I'm on one corner of my bed
recording this, and it's all the
way on the other, and I, can't.
if I move too much, my whole
setup will fall over right now,
because everything's shenanigans.
But, like.
it's a
Mario: Myrna came in with, she's
just excited, which we are because
we've been totally paying attention
to this thing the entire time.
And we've never doubted it at any point.
Katie also came in with,
if I say something about
it, will they stop winning?
See, this is, this tells you how
impromptu this has been because I would
have put Katie's two comments together.
But also Katie has a thing where
both of us have a thing where we
feel we're the, we're the jinxes.
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: things happen.
Angela: you two combined are,
I don't know what happens.
Mario: Max came in with, Pretty okay.
It's, the most even keeled, it's the
most even keeled of, it's the Summer Cup.
It's not the,
Angela: It's not
Mario: I said, it's not the Shield.
It's not, yeah, it's not real life.
And then, we have one last
message from Erin saying, joyful.
And, honestly, if you could If you
can't find the joy of the fact that
we've won these last two matches,
one of them with a shutout, and
Angela: Are you with
Mario: we're at the top
Angela: us?
Mario: of a table,
Angela: So
Mario: Exactly.
Angela: okay with that.
I'm okay with that.
Mario: let's see how it goes.
so with all of that Last match
is going to be against the Wave.
Angela: The Nemesis.
Mario: Okay, so the last group stage
is going to be against the Wave.
a win against them and
we're into the semifinals.
a draw and winning the penalties,
we're in the semifinals.
a loss.
I only had so much time.
Angela: A
Mario: I didn't go into permutations.
it's possible, but there's permutations.
either way, some of the main things,
we can't lose by more than two, right?
To keep our goal differential.
Gotham needs to lose.
Washington needs to lose, but
also under our goal differential.
There's a bunch of other things.
But there's a slim chance.
Either way, we have two really
good possibilities to get in.
Yeah, we gotta win.
Gotta win, you're through.
That's it.
That's all we gotta really worry about.
Don't worry about, don't do what
the men's national team did and
stupid Burrhalter going telling the
team, the other game is one to zero.
And then they get scored immediately.
Angela: What?
Mario: oh yeah, you don't watch the men.
Angela: about the men.
Mario: The no shield guys,
or the no star shield.
Yeah, yeah, I'll fill you in with that.
I do, yeah, but, pretty much, last
match of the, Copa America group
stages and they needed a win.
they needed, if they got a tie, like it
depended on the result of the other match.
They needed really a win, right?
You win, you're in.
That's all you needed to do.
They were behind.
They were losing.
there was a free kick being set up.
And then for some reason, Berhalter, like
he's yelling at the team, but he's telling
them what the score is in the other match.
Angela: no, you don't do
Mario: And then immediately on
that kick, they score another one.
They go to two to nothing.
They go up two to nothing.
So it's just
Angela: Damn.
Mario: I'm glad he's gone.
Yeah, alright, Summer Cup,
wrapped up, that's what it is.
We've believed in it the
entire time, let's go.
Yeah,
Angela: right, everyone.
Again, thank you so much for listening
to this shenanisode, which I love
the fact that I just made this up.
If you haven't already taken a
listen, make sure to go listen to
all of the Olympic preview episodes.
They were so much fun to record.
The folks we got to record with are
the actual best people in the WOSO
community, minus a few others that didn't
respond or couldn't record with us.
So I can't wait for the
opportunity to talk to them.
So give those a listen, give the
Watch Me Sports Bar a listen.
Episode with Jaxx, Alysson, is
Mario: that one was
great too, she's awesome.
Angela: gives great hugs, she
recognizes people, she's just so
solid, sure you clear your schedule
and get your behind down to Long
Beach on August 24th, tons more
details to come for the Angel City vs.
San Diego match in San Diego,
we're doing a massive vote.
as massive as we can get it, Watch
Party, OutWatch Me, they have a big
loft up there that we get to hang out
from, we might do some recording, I
don't know what we're gonna do yet,
Mario: I don't know,
Angela: it's just
Mario: everything's up in the
air right now, and it's exciting.
Angela: yeah, so make sure
you can come if you can't.
At least make up a good reason.
it's got to be a good excuse,
and please message us.
But, the place out.
Support Watch Me!.
They have fantastic folks working there.
And when it comes to watchening.
Mario: I'm watching.
Angela: If you're
Mario: You're just making up words.
Angela: if you're a shenanisodes, if
you're watching in the shenanisodes
and you also want to check out
the Olympics, just download the
Peacock app and jump on there.
I think
Mario: It's the easiest thing, honestly.
Angela: free trial, something like that.
You can just watch everything for free.
Mario: just pay for my I read
somewhere, this works on Apple.
If you have Apple, and you sign up
through, the, if you sign up for the month
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Apple or whatever, and then
cancel it immediately, you still have
access through the end of the month,
because you've paid for one entire month,
and then you don't have to remember
to cancel it at the end, works out.
Angela: All of, Everything for the
Olympics is streaming on Peacock.
You can watch four things at once.
It is my favorite thing that they've done.
Literally, this is my dream.
If I could just get paid to
do this, that would be great.
But,
Mario: did they start a
multi streaming thing?
What?!
Okay, I need to check this out.
Angela: then you can go, you can select
one and make it big for a little bit and
then go back and watch something else.
It's amazing.
Mario: Okay, so when the last
group stage matches happen and
they're all at the same time, yeah.
Ah.
Angela: Yeah, it's so exciting.
But for the Summer Cup,
if you are in the U.
S.
and you want to listen in English,
everything's on Paramount If you want
to listen in Spanish, everything's
on the NWSL Plus app and Telemundo?
Mario: then.
T U D N.
it's one of the cable channels that's
part of Telemundo and Universo and stuff.
It's like the third channel.
Angela: ESPN 8, the Ocho,
Mario: The Ocho?
No.
Angela: 3.
Mario: It's like CBS Sports.
Angela: Ugh.
Ugh.
Mario: It's like the one
channel that like nobody has.
Angela: All right.
And if
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: in Mexico or Central America,
you can watch everything on ESPN
or through ESPN and internationally
outside of North America, NWSL Plus
Mario: The Americas.
Yeah.
Angela: yeah.
Probably South America too.
I don't
Mario: South America.
Look, this is
Angela: have enough eyes
and there's still so much.
I still haven't finished
watching the opening ceremonies.
I haven't been able to watch anything
that I've wanted to watch because it's
just been a very busy couple of weeks.
So I had to play catch
up and stay current.
It's great.
this is not a problem.
Mario: all inclusive of the
summer of soccer, right?
We had the Euros in the men's
competition, we had the Euros, and
then we had Copa America happening
basically at the same time.
Now we've got the Olympics going on,
and we've got the Summer Cup going on.
Those are going back to back.
And then right after when all of this is
done, we get back into the NWSL season, so
Angela: And then the WNBA season
Mario: it's going to be fun.
Angela: at the same time.
So it's just, nothing stops, guys.
Nothing stops.
Go off the It's a good time.
Mario: and that's where all my money goes.
Okay.
I
Angela: episode.
I'm so happy to do this and I know
Mario is too and we have a blast.
Join the Discord.
It's so much fun.
It's so silly.
We have a bunch of different channels
and fun things to talk about.
we'll see you there.
make sure you find it through
our link in our bio or message
us whatever you want to do.
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Mario: Eh?
Angela: all right, even though
we've always been paying
attention to the Summer Cup.
So we'll see you soon.
Happy Olympics, everyone.
Mario: See ya!
Bye!