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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: And I just don't (bad word)
understand how they can't (bad word)
do their jobs and they're so (lots of
bad words) The fact that they have jobs
they're this damn dumb and it's (even
more bad words) it's dangerous and I
hate it and so (bad word) (bad word)
and none like the (possible bad word)
don't need this the players don't need
(last bad word) and fucking stupid.
Mario: Welcome to Casual FC,
an Angel City Preview Pod.
I'm your host, Mario Salazar,
with my Capri Sun drinkin
needs to buy a crate of it.
No, it's a pallet of Capri Sun.
Angela: a pallet.
Mario: First of all, you need
a garage to put that pallet in.
Angela: I have a garage, there's
just stuff in the garage.
I don't have room for a pallet.
I could make room.
if somebody wants to donate a
pallet of Capri Suns that you
can buy from Walmart to me.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: be upset.
I saw something that was
like, the expiration date.
What about that?
And people are
Mario: Yeah.
It won't, you won't get there.
Angela: bet.
I survived.
Mario: co host, Angela Morales.
No, I just realized that
I didn't even get to it.
Angela: Just Capri Suns
are so important right now.
I've been bugging Eva and just
saying, I just want to eat
grapes and drink a Capri Sun.
And she's stop,
Mario: Oh man.
this might be one of those episodes again.
Um,
Angela: the more an episode is, the
Mario: oh yeah.
Angela: is.
So I'm
Mario: as long as they don't
get another Wow Mario then.
Angela: It's my favorite.
Mario: all This is our match preview
for our match next Saturday, September
14th against Racing Louisville.
we will be traveling to Lynn Family
Stadium, in Louisville, Kentucky.
It'll be a 4.
30 p.
m.
here, local time, start, on ION TV, also
on iHeartRadio, listen to Isaac and Tracy.
And ACFC has their own official
watch party, which is going
to be at the Gelegetza.
Is that how you say it?
Gelegetza?
Okay.
And ACFC has their own
official watch party.
it's gonna be a family friendly
one at Gelegetza in, L.
A.
It's on Olympic Boulevard.
yeah.
Angela: Mid City, Central LA,
Mario: So that's the official,
Angela: over there.
I've driven by it a
Mario: that's the official Angel City one.
Of course, there's probably
gonna be some, supporters,
having their own watch parties.
And when they post them up, we'll repost
them and we'll share for everybody too.
See what's going on.
Yeah,
Angela: I just want to shout out
the fact that Mario and I are
unintentionally matching today
with our Becky Tweet experience,
like the Becky Sparkles Tour shirt.
And very pumped for that.
We logged on and it was
like, Oh my God, we match.
So I wanted to just call that out for
the folks who are listening on not video.
What is that called?
Audio only.
Wow.
for the people who are not watching
with their eyes, but with their ears, we
Mario: totally, I just put the kids
down and then I was walking out to the
living room and I was like, Oh cool.
I'm actually wearing our own merch today.
I was like, all right, I'll keep it on.
I'm not going to change.
Angela: Yeah, I wore this to work today.
Ooh.
there's a whole bunch of things that have
happened since the last game, along with
a tidal wave of fury, I think from Angel
City as a whole, fans, team, coaches,
anything branded Angel City, just.
Anyway, I want to make a very big thank
you and shout out to both Ethan and
Zach for running into me, finding me.
I don't know if it was on
purpose or by accident.
I don't care.
But just thank you for coming to say
hi to Eva and I and Alyssa and Doug
and their family because we were all
hanging out a little bit after the game.
introducing me to your sister and your
wife and your mom and your mother in
law and everybody who was there, very
proud of myself in the sense that I did
not cry while in BMO, waited till I got
to the car, and then I legit cried for
15 minutes because I'm I'm gonna cry
again, this community means the world
to me, and that's it, and then we've
got other like good, also bad news, in
that everybody's favorite Angel City
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: the Angel City beat because
he's going to back to school in Chicago.
Kamran, I'm gonna tag you in a tweet
to know that we gave you a little shout
out, but thank you for doing such a
fantastic job following this team,
reporting on this team, giving all of us
extra insight in post games and pressers
and training days, all that good stuff.
You are fantastic at what you do.
I can't wait to see what comes next.
yeah, good luck with school, and
if you want to commiserate on going
back to school, please let me know.
I'm always down, because, oh,
what an adventure that is.
I'll be wiping away tears entirety
of this episode, because the next
thing is, Alex Morgan's retired.
Mario: like officially, like it's official
Angela: officia it's over.
And that's just, I hate it.
I hate it.
I mean, I love it because I'm
happy for her, and if that
means it's time, it's time.
But damn, like,
I have so many thoughts about this.
But I did post up at the, like,
before kickoff, like, will I cry?
Yes or obviously or like obviously or
no, she's gonna hold her shit together.
I did not.
I did
Mario: and everybody that voted.
Angela: 15 people responded.
Yeah, 15 people responded.
15 people were right.
So thank you for knowing me and
seeing me and knowing that, yeah,
I was gonna weep ugly ass tears.
The majority of the game, she was
taken out at the 13th minute, and the
crowd started chanting Alex Morgan,
North Carolina joined in, I was done.
just sitting on my couch, my mom
looked at me, she's are you okay?
It's 100 effing degrees, it's so hot,
everything sucks, it's just one of
those, and then Alex Morgan is walking
off the pitch for the very last time.
What, no.
what a game that was.
Emotionally, you could tell
that, San Diego was wrecked.
Cailin Sheridan got a red card.
That made me cry.
I was like, why did you do that?
But it makes sense.
Eva and I were joking around that it's
not truly Alex Morgan's last game unless
she's called offside at least once.
And she didn't play long enough
for her to be called offside.
I think it's very fitting and
very funny that in her last,
international game, Pinos skied that
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: And then, and queen of PKs,
queen of PKs, Alex Morgan, comes
in, Casey Murphy says no, nope,
just blocks that PK, for real?
And you saw the look of, Casey, because
they played together on the national
team, and you just saw that, for
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: all games, you actually,
Mario: vote.
I've always wondered that when.
Angela: it
Mario: I've always wondered that when,
players retired, like, when, Jeter took,
an entire season as a farewell, and, and
he got an ovation at every stadium, but,
Angela: yeah.
Mario: but, like, when you're saying
farewell, you're doing what the,
the, goodbye rounds and stuff.
You don't want to give them the easy out.
you don't want to loft them.
You don't want to, underhand toss,
Angela: right, you don't.
You don't serve up meatballs
for a hitter to hit.
you don't half ass it.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: go back to baseball, Aaron
Judge, last season, going for a
record, getting walked every at bat.
come on.
Don't do that.
are you a good pitcher or are you not?
that kind of thing, where
it's you show up and put your
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: because Yes, they're
great of the game, but so are you.
Or like, why aren't, you're
playing at the same level.
yeah, but it was a hell of a match.
it, there's so much to say.
We're gonna do another, retirement
retrospective because Alex Morgan, Kelly
O'Hara, Sinead Fairley, and I don't know,
whoever else is gonna, at the end of the
season, we'll be talking about, because
it's important, it's so important to
honor these players while they're playing,
but also give them the proper send off.
Yesi, we got you
Mario: Yes.
Angela: therapy in a couple weeks.
Mario: Yeah.
And we got to get, we got
to figure out where it fits.
But
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: will be the retrospective
of the greats Part Deux.
And
Angela: and who knows, maybe we might
bring in last season's special guest.
I say special guests like it's
not in like total air quotes.
It's just Eva.
Like I say, just it's
just my fiance, whatever.
But she even was like, are you going to,
are you going to do a retirement episode?
And I was like, yes, you can
Mario: yay.
Angela: She was like, yay.
Mario: But now that we're on
video, she's going to have to
be like on another computer.
Angela: I know either that or just
pop in and we just smush in together.
We're just half a face.
but we have big angel city news
Mario: Our first.
Angela: free agency.
Free Agency reopened on September 1st,
which has led to some shenanigans,
shenanigans, because the new CBA
took effect the same day, so there's
trades, there's signings, there's
don't want to be at this team
anymore, screw you guys, there's
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: oddly, not really with
Angel City, which is annoying, but
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: The big one, I would say close
to, one of the bigger news items that
we all really wanted, is June Resigned!
We've got her till 2027, so she's got
plenty of time to recover, plenty of
time to, get back in her body, get
back on the pitch, find the love of
the game again, and then just come
Mario: Matt,
Angela: some feelings.
Mario: Maddie has been asking me every
single game is June playing today?
And I'm like, no, I keep telling
her she has a knee injury.
She's not ready to play yet.
but yeah, I haven't, I don't know
if she really understands the
concept of Contracts and whatnot.
So yeah,
Angela: six.
Mario: I'm not gonna sit there and
explain to her the CBA, but it's, but
Angela: happened was, like,
Mario: the fact that she's
gonna, she's here for another
three years, really two years,
Angela: future.
Mario: years to another two seasons.
it's gonna be awesome.
I hope she really keeps the
pink hair and makes herself like
super identifiable on the pitch.
Yeah, it'll be exciting.
And finally, some damn
news from Angel City.
you said, there was shenanigans
happening around the league and
Angel City being super quiet.
I still haven't read the article
with which With Angela Heakley's,
yeah, I do know that she talks, huh,
Angela: yeah, the gist is that the second
signing they alluded to fell through.
Boo.
that doesn't mean that nothing's going
to happen because if somebody's a free
agent, if somebody wants to leave the
team they're on, if there's a million
different caveats and possibilities to
have that could happen, you never know.
But I think they're going to
lock it in with the team they
have, which is, I think, okay.
I.
We'll get into it.
We posted, when the news about
June was released, we posted like
1 to 10, how much of a 15 are you?
that 1 to 10 scale, are
you a 15 re signing?
Mario: I'm gonna say right now, there
was a whole conversation about, rating
scales on, the Kooligans, way back
when, and then now that I think about
it, I was gonna bring this up to you,
because I actually think it's a really
good way to rate something, right?
It's,
Angela: Like
Mario: No, it's a like
negative three to three.
Angela: Ooh.
Mario: Yeah, because zero is neutral.
You're like, yeah, instead of a five.
Angela: Or like
Mario: Yeah, or like a five to five,
whatever.
But it's like you're either negatively
like you're Yeah, no, that's not a thing.
Or you're like, yep, this is,
plus one, plus two type thing.
Angela: that.
Mario: But, I also don't know if anybody
would have got it if I said from a
negative three to three, what are you,
Angela: That's fair.
we'll throw something up
next week after this drops to
Mario: with the new rating system?
Angela: do negative three to three
to see who actually listened.
Yeah.
See who our real fans are.
Like, but Aaron said 74.
With an exclamation point, Vero said 82.
75.
Zach said, I'm not 10 I'm 10.
Bring on the endo.
Yeah.
Alicia said 35 with the exclamation mark.
Jeff said 25.
She just adds another dimension
to our attack, which is not
Mario: Nope.
Angela: Speaking of who
some folks who decided to.
Add another dimension to our attack.
Who's the Chaos Award going
Mario: Ah, geez.
Okay, our chaos award.
As we've been doing all season long
has, again, just to restate it one
more time, the Chaos Award is given
to the team, player, fan base,
or weather that creates the most
shenanigans throughout the league.
Angela: This is my version of sippin tea.
Mario: the Alex Morgan,
Angela: Little
Mario: but
all of these things.
happened in R.
The fan base.
It was beautiful.
Okay, so I didn't get to go to the game.
I flew in from Colorado that day.
I literally almost missed my flight.
Angela: And from, you, you flew in from
nice weather into the pit of hell that was
Mario: I stepped out of the plane
on Burbank and like from the Burbank
airport, you can get out on the stairs.
Yeah, so I got out from the back, and
it's just that wall of the furnace
that you I was just like, shit.
okay.
Angela: It's like when you
Mario: Exactly.
Angela: door.
Mario: so one, Weather.
Two, I watched the game on
TV, and beautiful fanbase
just saying, Ref, you suck.
Beautifully.
on audio, on the
broadcast, it was amazing.
Neither team or player really
here, it's the fucking refs.
God.
this guy.
This guy.
This guy.
Is that his name?
Angela: Yeah.
And then one of the
other refs name was Brad.
So Trevor and Brad.
I only know one good Trevor.
I know no good Brads.
And like three Brads.
Mario: They
Angela: I saw, I need to verify this.
I don't even know if we should
maybe cut this out, I don't
know, but I saw somewhere that
Trevor was a scab during the
Mario: I read, I read that too.
Angela: and I was like,
Mario: yeah.
Angela: me?
so we're crossing picket lines and
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: at your job?
Righteous.
Super cool to go super
Mario: the neon highlighters on the
field were complete shit this game.
Like, to a new level of just bad.
Um, I wouldn't trust them
reffing, Maddie's gonna have her
first soccer game this weekend.
And I wouldn't trust them reffing that.
Angela: I didn't know this?
Oh, I'm so happy
for
Mario: first one.
Angela: Oh,
Mario: Um, they were just,
they were the chaos award.
They, because they created all the
freaking chaos that was going on.
And there was this amazing quote,
and everybody started talking about
wouldn't be surprised if Sarah Gordon
got fined by the league for this because
during the presser afterwards, at the
Twitter account, expected own goals.
Put out a quote that she
said during the presser.
Every ref all season, good or bad,
has been very open to talking to the
players, especially the captains.
This, right?
Angela: should.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: their
Mario: This ref was not open to talking.
He didn't give us the
respect that we deserved.
Our team did a great job of not
letting the VAR calls affect us.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Yeah, I,
that game
was not lost in large part by us.
This one was, I know there's games
where we're gonna say the refs lost
us this game, this one is like the
textbook, the refs lost us this game.
Angela: Yeah.
There were a few moments where we
definitely did it to ourselves, but
mostly, Like, Claire got hit in the face.
No call.
At one point, Sarah got laid out and laid
on the ground and threw her hands up in
the air and let them, like, fly to the
ground, just laying there so exasperated.
And I'm like, that's the reaction GIF
Mario: yeah, the
Angela: what else do I need to
Mario: I think Janthony was the one
that pointed out that, there was like a
foul against Sarah, he didn't, the ref
didn't call it, but called the water
break, but then after the water break
required her to stay off the field.
Angela: like, not even allowed
a full hydration break.
Like, they all, both teams said,
oh, okay, go to the sidelines.
like, 14 seconds like, you don't even
have get the water to your mouth.
toot, toot!
And starts calling
everybody back to the pitch.
Keeps Sarah off, and it's like,
Mario: she wasn't, she
didn't even get to play.
the medics didn't get on there.
Angela: over to the bench yet.
Yeah.
This
Mario: honestly,
Angela: We have had a lot
to say about pro refs in the
Mario: yeah,
Angela: of our show.
And they really need to get their shit
Mario: this is bad.
And
Angela: There are referees Who I know
personally, who have their whole entire
ass off to get to this level, to get
certified to referee in FIFA, matches,
to travel to call this game for the love
of the game, who do a damn good job, and
to have garbage ass refs who don't know
what they're doing, Out there instead?
Mario: it's
Angela: The players deserve so
Mario: and then, so the last quote
that I'm going to end before we go
on another, Curse Field rant, is,
rightfully Kamran, Kamran Nia giving
us a nice little, picking up the nice
little, gem there from Becky Tweed.
when asked about the refs, no comment.
You're trying to get me in trouble.
Angela: That is honestly, like, the
most accurate response and response.
Like,
Mario: Yeah, I saw online and stuff
like that, people were saying like,
yeah, this, there's a, the pro
refs don't like actually coming or
they're afraid of coming to BMO.
and look.
Angela: Then
Mario: If you can't
handle the stadium, right?
each stadium is growing.
So yes, you might only have 8, 000 fans
at one stadium, 5, 000 fans at another,
and then you get to, BMO, or you get to,
Providence Park in Portland or something,
and it's like 15, 000, 20, 000 fans.
You still gotta do your job.
Angela: 100 degrees on Friday,
and we sold 16, 800 at that game.
involved.
Mario: okay.
All right.
that's that.
But our quick roundabout of the
scores that happened everywhere
else, and I did not pay that close
of attention to see if other games
were as shenanigan filled as ours.
I think I was emotionally drained.
Angela: either.
It was a very busy
Mario: I was drained by that game
and by my traveling that day.
it was just like that.
All right.
So we have we have the Washington
Spirit winning 2 1 over Portland.
We have Kansas City winning 1 0 over
Utah, Bay 1 0 over Racing, Gotham 2
1 over Houston, Red Stars losing to
the Orlando Pride 0 1, again they are
undefeated and it is insane and they
are, they have clinched the playoffs.
Now, I posted up saying, The NWSL
posted up, what it would take for
them to win, to get into the playoffs.
If they won, straight out, that's
it, they're done, they're in.
If they didn't win, there was three
other ways for them to advance.
One of them was us tying or
losing, and we gave it to them.
So right when the weekend started,
Angela: Like first game of the
Mario: we gave it to them.
And then, the Wave lost
to North Carolina 4 1.
And that brings us up to our game, which,
you already can hear how frustrated
everybody has been, how frustrated we are.
Angela: The players are
Mario: were at the game.
So tell me, how was the,
the match against Seattle?
Angela: Frustrating.
I think that's really the only way
I can say Like, we started amazing.
We were playing fast and we
were playing quick and we were
moving the ball up the pitch.
Alyssa scored.
We're yeah, oh yeah.
And then we started to, like, it
looked no joke, like the second
half of the first season or the
first half of the second season.
We just parked it.
And I don't know what happened.
I don't know why.
we had the room to run.
We just weren't.
And A player that I talked about last week
me eat all of my words, kept passing back
to Deedee, who was basically playing up
as a center back, and I didn't understand,
which meant that she caused a collision,
and then Seattle got a penalty,
made the penalty, it up, like
they equalized on that penalty.
And then another player I talked about
scored, In stoppage time, like
towards the end of stoppage
time, Gee's goal was beautiful.
I'm not gonna lie.
It was one of those.
I looked at Eva, I was
Mario: That was a colazo.
Angela: so.
I, I literally talked about this.
It was a
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: of a goal.
And it was one of those where most
keepers wouldn't have been able to
Mario: Oh, gee.
Angela: because they didn't.
Mario: She had no chance.
Angela: had, she didn't have a
Mario: She had no chance on that one.
That,
Angela: like, Alyssa Nair
Mario: no, that,
Angela: missed that.
Mario: that goal, DeeDee had no chance
on, and that's not a bad thing, right?
I'm saying she had no chance on that
one because it was hit so beautifully.
It was a banger.
and it was set up, it was set up, when
you see the replay, and when you see the
replay from behind DeeDee, that there
are two Angel City players Basically
blocking her entire view, and G's kick
bends it like Beckham, just all
the way, beautiful curve, just,
Angela: It bent so beautifully.
Mario: it, honestly,
Angela: Yeah.
And that was a
Mario: in those replays, It
looks so effortless, she stopped
the ball, reset it, and went,
Angela: yeah.
Mario: that's what the sound
effect should have been.
Angela: Yeah.
That's yeah.
That's honestly, the second she
got the ball, I was like, shit.
then I looked at Eve and I said, shit.
And she goes, yeah.
And Vero sits right in front
of me and turns around.
She goes, That's who
you talked about, huh?
And I said, yup.
That was her.
I told you.
I freaking so.
And we all just started cracking up.
But so the final score was three to two.
Syd had a goal at the death
Mario: Beautiful goal.
Angela: like a beautiful header from M.
A.
put it in a museum, hang it
up in the Louvre, like just M.
A.
Vignola.
Or as so she got the Vingola
nickname last season.
She's now Mary Assist.
Vignola.
And I'm like, stop it.
So if we're really going to do it.
Is Mary a cis Vignola?
And I'm sorry, because it's cool,
but I hate Like, she's, it's just M.
A.
but the is is in between all that, uh,
Ziara King scored in the 58th minute
to put Seattle, I almost said Chicago,
Seattle up three to one at that point.
And it was just like the most
frustrating thing because came
back in the 67th minute and M.
A.
had a beautiful goal.
BMO erupted.
It was overturned because it
was quote unquote offside.
Mario: Bullshit.
Angela: If they, exactly, because
if they're calling it offside, then
it really should have gone back to
the foul on Jasmyne Spencer that
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: earned, would
have kept it our ball.
There were also multiple times
where it should have been our ball,
and both teams were confused when
the ref, awarded it to Seattle.
When both
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: confused, you're doing
a really bad job, just FYI.
And then, Madison Hammond scored in the
85th minute, but that was overturned
by VAR because they called this
really dumb foul on Syd, or they like,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: foul, because it's,
it was one of those where
you're just like, eh, whatever.
It wasn't a foul that anybody
normally would have made.
I don't know what was happening.
People on Twitter, on Reddit, on
Instagram, like, every platform, our
Discord, slacks of SGs, messages different
people I'm friends with in SGs, were so
Like, the, even Seattle fans were like,
what the hell was multiple people I saw
posting in different forms were like,
Angel City should have won this game 4 3.
Honestly.
Honestly.
Like, no, there should have been
different fouls called, the fouls
that were called didn't make
sense, like, all kinds of stuff.
also really quick, I forgot to shout this
out earlier, but Sunday, Ruby from Mosaic
was celebrating her birthday at the game.
Her birthday was on Monday, so
Mario: Ooh, happy
birthday.
Angela: We were texting
and, yeah, she's big friend
Mario: Happy birthday, Ruby.
Angela: yeah, I just wanted to make
sure we give Ruby a little shout out.
Yeah, it, man,
I just want us to stop passing
Mario: Please.
Angela: to Deedee.
love Deedee and I will say this a
thousand times, I love her so much.
I think she's a fantastic leader on
the team and a fantastic, like, human.
She's not a one touch keeper.
She's not good with her feet.
Her footwork is not her specialty.
That's what
Mario: Yes.
Angela: I,
should word this, because I don't want
it to be like, oh, Deedee sucks, because
Mario: And she, honestly, she had
some amazing saves during this match.
There was some really solid saves.
We've said this, we've said this before,
the footwork isn't there, the passing,
the distribution isn't there, the passing.
So she's really good.
And
Angela: great with her hands.
Mario: she's had some amazing, hockey
blocks, like, where she just does splits.
Um, but,
Angela: Her body, like her body
and her hands are her like strong
Mario: but the ball coming back
out has always been a problem.
And,
Yeah.
Angela: This game was
Mario: I mean, there
Angela: for that.
There was a lot of passes that
from where we were sitting, it
looked like there was not even a
look towards anybody up the pitch.
like, oh, I have the ball.
I have to pass it back to Deedee.
And like, no, you have wingers
who are open and ready.
You have midfielders who are
Mario: was a handful of times that,
like, when, and I can see the frustration
because you see the arms go up, right?
your own players are like, what the fuck?
They're wide open.
Angela: Like,
Mario: wide open.
Open up the triangle.
Open up the look at me talking tactics.
Open up the triangle.
give yourself some more space.
Take up the space.
Yet, no, I'm not looking this way, I'm
looking that way, and I'm gonna try
to pass it through a bunch of traffic.
And then, it gets picked up.
And then that's the same danger with
passing it back to DeeDee is that
a lot of times they're like half, they
feel like half ass kicks, like they're
half ass passes, like they're not,
there, there's no mustard on the pass.
Angela: That's it on the beat.
Mario: and then there's a lot of
Angela: Speaking of
Mario: Superbowl, it just, it's so
frustrating, and it makes me want, I
honestly, I want Angelina out there,
I, I know she had some rough games
at the beginning, and I, but she,
Angela: We also were playing the
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: the league to
Mario: exactly.
And
everybody played like shit.
the entire team played like shit.
Angela: right.
You can't.
And that's the thing I think people also
forget your keeper is going to save goals.
They're going to allow goals.
Because what happens when the
ball gets to your keeper, it
means your defense collapsed.
For whatever reason, sometimes
people are just good and fast
and get through it happens.
Sometimes it's because of you.
A missed mark, which is what
happened with the Sierra King goal.
Jasmyne, like, the one bad read
that I think I've ever seen
her have amounted in a goal.
And it was frustrating, but it was one
of like, damn, yeah, like, that's gonna
Mario: yeah.
say those last two, the first goal
and the last goal, I think were,
can be put partially on DeeDee.
The first goal that resulted in
a pin was totally DeeDee coming
out a little hot and heavy,
Angela: outside the
Mario: a collision.
And then that last one.
Yes.
Jazz had a misstep there, but like
they totally caught Didi off on,
she was just on the wrong foot.
Like she, they when they crossed it.
Angela: But even still, when you're
on the wrong foot, it just means
your weight hasn't, like, your body,
you can only move your body so fast.
That's just biomechanics in Like, you
can't, you can shift, but if you weren't,
if your momentum hasn't already moved
that way, you're still moving 100 some
pounds the other direction, and it takes
a little bit of, it takes a minute.
I'm also curious, because I've seen this
brought up multiple places, and there
has been issues with it in the past of
who are not as ethnic, diverse as other
teams getting calls in their favor,
which comparison has happened
to us the last two games,
Mario: Okay.
Angela: and I don't know if that stands.
I would assume there are, given the
climate in this country, I would assume
there are referees who, don't exactly
a lot of the players in the league.
For a variety of reasons, race,
sexuality, gender, sex, all of it,
and it just feels very weird, because
mean, granted, Seattle, I'm going to
say something, no, I'm not going to say
that, because that's really mean, and
I try not to like, feelings involved,
but I'd be really curious to look at
Trevor's history foul calls and things
like that, because I'd be really curious
to look at I just don't understand.
And I don't know if this is me reaching.
I don't know if this is one of I, give
me a reason as to why you were so bad.
Someone who sits a couple rows in
front of us was like, your, your
mom thinks you're bad at your job.
Like, Eva said something similar, one
little kid in our section was just like,
get a new job, Rev, you're real bad.
I'm like, a seven year dang.
Dang.
Mario: Okay.
Angela: yeah, stop being garbage and
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: about it.
Can't be
Mario: On that note, everyone,
make sure you register to vote.
not like it's going to matter
to this, but, life in general.
Angela: It'll matter in the
bigger scheme of things.
Yeah.
Check your voter registration,
register to vote.
Yeah.
we'll post stuff because I'm a
big advocate for fair elections,
voting, electoral stuff.
So if anybody has any questions or
needs help, honestly, please reach out.
I am more than happy.
have registered in my lifetime probably
close to a thousand people to vote.
Throughout college, after college, I
will help you break down what's on the
ballot, get you resources, um, I've worked
the election, day of, at local voting,
places, so please let me know if you have
questions, if you don't know what to do.
No judgment, no nothing, my DMs are
open, both personal and the please.
It's that important to me, and
it always has been, so please.
please.
all.
my, that's my little
Mario: Our mini soapbox for today.
Angela: my
mini
Mario: besides fucking graphs.
Okay.
Angela: This.
Yeah, I think I'm more mad at refs
right now than the government like this
hour and a half that we're recording
Mario: we can live in this space.
It's okay.
all All right.
So we all had feelings, big ones.
yeah.
When I posted it up.
It was very much a and I hope
everybody read it this way, it was
very much of that was a hard loss.
How are you feeling, buddy?
Angela: like a genuine buddy.
Mario: yeah, because
Angela: for sure.
Mario: we just, we probably
mentioned this already.
We're flying off the seat of our
pants here, or whatever the phrase is.
it was, this loss feels a little bit
more personal, yeah, it's a little more.
Because of the way it happened,
losses that have happened where
we're like, oh, that we should
have won very much felt yeah, we
should have won, we suck right now.
whatever.
Angela: Yeah.
like, oh, we don't have anybody who can
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: they're all hurt or
like something like that.
This was
Mario: Yeah.
yeah.
But Ethan came through
with some haikus, so
Angela: He did.
Our boy Ethan.
Thank you.
We all joke like this is everybody's
favorite part and I really think it is.
So we actually got two this week.
Initially,
Mario: No, I was gonna
say the exact same thing.
This is the first one that came off,
off the dome, right after the game.
Angela: right after the game.
Still so mad.
Ethan said, City vs.
Refs, Refs officiate sans
eyes, bring back them youth.
And honestly, it felt like the
city of Los Angeles gonna fight
Mario: Oh yeah.
Angela: Like, I thought for a
second, someone on the pitch
was gonna fight the refs.
got booed out of the stadium, which is now
like the third or fourth time the entire
ref team, reffing team has been booed out.
this was
Mario: this one was one of the few
home games that I've watched from
home, but it's the first one that I can
remember just being like, It was loud.
The Ref You Suck was like stadium wide.
Angela: It was
Mario: It was on the broadcast.
So yeah.
Angela: It was.
Like, little kids down on the
pitch were like, Ref, you suck.
People the, in the fancy boxes were
chanting, Ref, you Like, everybody was
in it every single time it started, too.
Which was like five
Mario: It happened a lot.
Angela: how many were heard on
the broadcast, but it was a lot.
Like, the whole last
two minutes of the game.
But then, once Ethan calmed down,
collected his thoughts a little bit
more, He said, revert in lineup,
well despite the stripes, and
then we put in parentheses or neon
because referees in soccer don't wear
stripes, but you know what we mean.
And he said, gritted till
the end, which, absolutely.
In the words of Sarah Gordon,
they are fucking warriors.
She got bleeped out.
Mario: They, yeah, this should
have been a four to three match.
Angela: Even if we have to lose one
of them and we just 3 3 draw, okay.
something.
Elyse said that she felt very
robbed, surely, so it's very sad.
said it was not offside.
We should have won 4 1.
Guess what, ref?
You suck.
Myrna said, I hope the ref said
security walking to their cars and
I hope that they lost their jobs.
then she also said the
foul on Syd was ridiculous.
The DD foul?
Yeah, unfortunately.
The Syd
Mario: no.
Yeah.
Angela: is exactly right.
Zach said, Uhhhhhhh.
Probably longer?
Given how many letters were involved
in that, then you said the first 20 was
solid, mindful, demure, and then we get
a flexing emoji, stop, like a stop sign,
back pass to Didi, Sarah, queen, ice
cold Alyssa Thompson, rockets, ref you
suck, angry face with an expletive emoji.
Mario: Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Angela: uh, interpreting.
emojis, which I still
appreciate very much.
I like the challenge.
Mario: Oh, and, J'Anthony
responded to us on the Discord.
I don't know if you saw it, but he likes
our, interpretation of his, son skillet
Angela: good.
Mario: combo.
Angela: Yeah.
This is your brain on drugs combo.
Mario: alright.
Angela: That's how hot it was.
That's what it felt like.
Mario: So Jeff, I love Jeff because
Jeff, has started the Czech DMs.
message, that's all he puts in the
actual message and then sends us a DM,
which is great because then I remember
to go back to the DMs and copy paste.
But this is what he wrote, tough
loss in a game that came down
to mistakes and game management.
Alyssa Thompson is now our
premier attacker and almost
had goals from Hammond and M.
A.
Watching at home, the announcers
explained nicely what the fouls
were and if only the ref came out.
And said why, and explained the
ref you suck chants would have been
calmed down, I'm sure, but nothing,
league needs better reffing period,
better structure of how to explain
VAR calls to the stands and players.
In my opinion, the calls were
correct, but just no explanation.
Okay, yes, the,
Angela: My head says yes.
My heart says no.
Mario: but,
so the thing is that
okay, The offside call
for M.
A.
's goal, that was a goal,
which means it's reviewable.
Why that wasn't an actual VAR
review is beyond me, because
that should have gone back.
If anything, if they're going to take
that back because of the offside,
it should have gone back to the foul
on Jasmyne, which started the play.
and then, Sure, the foul on Syd, the Syd
foul that brought back Hammond's gold,
it was very light, it was very weak,
Angela: so
Mario: it was,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: and for that to be like this big ol
VAR, yeah, but agreed, there needs to be
Angela: Someone wanted to be the main
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: That's what
Mario: all right.
Mistakes that I won't go too deep,
but points that need to be worked
for future games are playing our
cornerbacks too high in the attack,
leaving big gaps defensively.
Bad habits like killing, stalling our
attack by continually backline passing,
Angela: Yes,
Mario: timing, and sub passing.
personnel like Fuller, in for Zellum,
Bright in for Leroux, CP for Rocky,
and preferably before the 70th minute.
And finally, get back to basics,
defensively, we used to be a
hard team to score against, would
love to see some clean sheets.
Honestly, the idea of
these clean sheets is,
Didi could only do so
much as a wall back there.
And like you said, if it's getting 2DD, it
means there was a little bit of a break,
there was a breakdown in that back line,
Angela: For whatever reason,
Mario: but
the fact that the clean sheets
aren't there, and I'm reading this,
Angela: Not
Mario: I'm reading this, having
seen the NWSL post recently, of the
top clean sheets, and there's now,
um, there's, I don't know who it,
I wish I had it in front of me, but
there's the sixth Goalie now that
has had 10 plus clean sheets in a
season, just got added onto the list.
So I'm like, here.
It is.
Oh yeah, it is, from San Diego.
Anna Morehouse is, number
the sixth goalkeeper in NWSL history
to notch 10 plus shutouts in a season.
The others are, Nicole
Bernhardt, AD Franch.
Lydia Williams, Nicole Bernhardt, again.
What's the difference?
And then Casey Murphy.
So
Angela: Yeah.
And the thing is.
Nicole Barnhart and A.
D.
Franch are national team keepers,
Mario: there's a reason.
Angela: da!
Mario: Okay.
Angela: Honestly,
Mario: to finish it off,
we've got a few more.
Benjamin, proud of those
gritty final 12 minutes.
Teresa, just ref sucked.
Erin, Alyssa for the Golden Boot Race?
at the pace she's going, I
don't know if she's gonna
Angela: for Angel
Mario: yeah, Golden
Angel City Golden Boot.
Yes.
I don't know if she's gonna
catch up To Tamwa Chawinga.
Angela: I don't think, I don't
even know if Barbara Bonda is right
Mario: I think Chawinga has, I
Angela: Chawinga's
Mario: 14 now, right?
15.
Jeez.
Okay.
Angela: 15, insane.
Mario: Alma just had the
expletive face emoji.
And Michelle being, coming in nice
and last before we probably expired.
So
that's where we're at.
So
Angela: big,
Mario: not to dwell on this a lot longer.
We'll check in with the standings.
Still in ninth place.
But we're at 21 points, we're just
outside of the playoff line, the
refs, if the refs weren't shit at
their jobs, we would have totally
leapfrogged over Chicago with them
losing to Orlando, and it would have
Angela: yeah,
Mario: a huge advantage for us.
But now that's gone, and so now
we're gonna definitely be in a
every single point counts moment.
so, sorry to be cliche,
but that's what it is.
we've got,
Angela: yeah.
Mario: only got one more team that we
haven't seen at all, and that's Portland.
We haven't played Portland.
Yeah,
it's late in the city in the season
that we haven't played Portland yet.
And technically Seattle,
we haven't played them yet.
this was the first match
Angela: This
Mario: and then we play Seattle again.
we've got racing, Portland, the Spirit,
Seattle again, North Carolina, Utah, and
then Portland to finish off the season.
So both Portland matches are going to be
huge for us if we can win both of those.
Cause that's just six points that
we can leapfrog, keep jumping.
Angela: yeah, if we can win
both of those, poof, that, that
would be even a draw, honestly.
Win one,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: another
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: fine.
need all the points we can get.
Ideally, we, ideally, we win by
Mario: only racing, yeah,
Angela: need to make up
Mario: that's true, only racing in Utah
are below us in the standings, which
beating them is good for our points,
doesn't necessarily help us, catch up to
anybody above, but that means that only
All the other.
Angela: for points and differential.
Mario: that means that all the other
matches are that important, right?
They're all teams that are above us.
It doesn't mean that by beating a
team we're going to leapfrog them.
It just means that we
close that gap quicker.
that's where we're at.
And now to what we started the podcast
as intending to be, and then, we
give you all this extra content.
the preview of the match
versus Racing Louisville.
Angela: We were so young
and innocent last season.
Tried to be so
Mario: Don't watch this.
Don't worry, these episodes are
only going to be 20 minutes long.
Angela: yeah, 20 to 30 minutes max.
We just knock out the
info quick and dirty.
No big deal.
Two hours later.
but Louisville.
in Louisville, is interesting
stadium to play in.
They have a fantastic fan base.
They have, I don't know if
they still have a light show.
It's been a thing of contention the
last couple seasons, so I'm not sure.
But, Louisville's been
playing really well.
They've been on the come up with the trade
deadline and the international window and
all the things that have been happening.
They have made big, big moves.
We mentioned it in the last
episode because we didn't
talk about Bethany Balser.
Then, because we are
talking about her this week.
She's fantastic.
You, if you've watched any NWSL game
with Seattle, you have noticed her and
her headband and her blonde ponytail.
The headband uh, one of the concussion
reduction headbands, so a good reason.
It's not just a bandana.
no shade on, oh, shoot,
what player is that?
She's on Chicago, but she has a pink
bandana, super thick, that she wears,
and it's Em Woods favorite player.
Dang it, I don't remember.
Go back to that first
Chicago episode with Em.
talk about it.
but, Bethany Balzer is fantastic.
just fun to watch, she was NAIA player,
kind of snuck in under the radar,
she didn't go to an NCAA school.
Was like a difference maker enough
to get noticed and get I don't know
if she was drafted or if she was just
playing overseas and then came back.
I don't remember, but they also traded
for Janine Becky, which is big time
player who tore her ACL before the World
Cup when 9000 players tore their ACL,
they've made a lot of roster moves in
the last couple weeks, so I'm really
curious how they're going to show up.
Not to say that they won't, but
I'm more like, I don't know.
they've won here, they've
lost there, of a toss up.
Similar to the way I said
with Seattle, I don't know.
This isn't one of like, easy wins
or like, oh, shit, we're gonna get,
you know, we're gonna get rocked in
this game and we'll see what happens.
But this one is like, I think
this is gonna be a really even
matchup and we have to ball out,
that's racing, pretty much.
And then for us, we have
Maggie Dougherty Howard.
And Rocky Rodriguez, who I think their
asses off this last game in the midfield.
Our midfield held it down
very well against a very
tough midfield this last game.
is a Costa Rican superstar, I would say.
National team player, is like the
face of Central American soccer.
think for a lot of people,
even if you aren't Costa
Rican, is Costa Rica considered
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: I did a whole report on Costa
Rica in like seventh or eighth grade.
Why don't
Mario: Yeah, they're like dead center.
Angela: Oh, that's embarrassing.
Yeah.
I said it and I was like, oh my God.
They're right in the
Mario: They're dead center
and they touch both coasts.
Angela: My apologies.
I promise I'm smart.
Mario: I have a master's.
Angela: Yeah.
It's in sports psychology, not geography,
I promise you I know where Costa
Rica my brain like put in that it was
Puerto Rico or like in the Caribbean.
I was like, that's
Mario: That it was an island?
Angela: that's what that, And
I'm like, that's not right.
It's connected.
anyway, Doherty Howard, who we acquired
from San Diego and has been fantastic.
She's a veteran midfielder
and it's great to see.
I really think the way we lined up
against Seattle in the midfield was
great these two and Katie Zellum.
You got good veteran who were.
to the task of shutting down big
scorers and big momentum creators.
And I think if we show up like that again
on, Saturday night, I think we'll be okay.
think so.
I think our midfield is like
finally coming together.
I think Katie was a
really great acquisition.
I think I'm going to talk about a couple
more players because we have got Claire
Emsley who has gotten quiet goal scoring
wise, it's not because
she hasn't been open.
she's, she's been really good at.
stirring the pot a little bit and
Mario: She's the one where
I see the arms up a lot in
frustration, guys, I'm right here.
Angela: like, I'm right here.
And it doesn't help that she's doing
50 feet from our just right there
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: both of us all the time.
And I'm just like, Claire,
I see the way we see Alyssa or Jasmyne
Spencer being wide open on the other side
of the pitch, we see hello, I'm here.
But I think If we can start getting
Claire connecting as well, so then
we have Alyssa Messiah, Claire, M.
A., Syd, like, we've got a huge attack,
we just have to play into it, have to
use it, know, our defenders can score,
our midfielders can score, our forwards
obviously can score, but I really
think if we consistently start Claire
scoring again, I think it's gonna widen
our attack and make it a more broad,
like, even across the board, holy shit,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Attack, which
is what I would love.
And then last but not least, I just
want to mention Syd Leroux real quick.
She was a fantastic sub against,
who did we play two games ago?
Mario: San Diego?
San Diego.
Angela: San Diego!
Yes, she was a fantastic
sub against San Diego.
Mario: Yeah.
San Diego.
Angela: that San Diego?
Hold on.
The Labor Day game.
No, Chicago!
Oh my gosh.
She was a fantastic sub against Chicago.
Scored in that game.
This, she played the full game this
weekend, or on Friday, again, the M.
A.
to Syd connection can't be beat,
cannot be beat, and I love it, Syd
and Ali's variety show, if you will,
on Instagram, BFFR, B for effin real,
is amazing, Rue, Syd's daughter, is
My most coveted autograph, honestly,
at this point, I want to trade BFFR
for casual FC stickers so bad, but I'm
never down close to the pitch enough to
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: So if anybody
Mario: if you,
Angela: anybody in the supporter
groups who's down there and wants
Mario: yeah,
Angela: I
Mario: let's get, let's get Syd and Sarah
some Don't Piss Off the Moms stickers.
Angela: Yeah, to, we need
to get them care package.
Like, legit, though.
We need to do that.
but no, Rue signing autographs
and like, her own little mini
celebrity just like, raising an
eyebrow and being is my favorite.
I love the veterans on
our team in general.
They're such great leaders,
such good, teachers as well.
Like, they lead the team, but they
also teach younger kids, like, how
to function in the league, how to
manage your time, how to save your
they're such good stewards of how to
be an athlete how to handle yourself,
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: Like, this isn't
something you learn how to do,
you just do it and figure it out
Mario: it's just, It's just
slightly easier if you have a little
bit of help as you're learning.
Angela: a, just a wee bit.
Yeah.
And so many of the vets on our team
were part of those who pushed for
equal pay, pushed for access, pushed
for safety measures, HR we have such
prolific women in our locker room.
But with that said, to get back to racing
this matchup, I don't know
what to think about it.
It's just gonna be a matchup and
I don't like, I'm at the point
where I'm like, come what may.
As Sarah Gordon said, we're
a second half like, we're a
second half of the season team.
This is where we light up I'm just trying
to lean really hard into that and be
like, we're gonna do this, we're gonna be
Mario: yes.
no, honestly, I honestly do, in my
heart of hearts, believe that this
would have been undetweeted number
three, if it wasn't for that ref.
Angela: I
Mario: Full on.
I think, I think we have this match.
They're, like you said, they're really,
we're really close is if you're looking
at standings wise, they're only two
spots below us, but they're at 19 points.
So it's like, the,
Angela: We
Mario: we need that separation.
It would be a big win for them.
it, it'll be a big win for us.
going for a draw would be,
it is what it is.
But honestly, you need to, you,
it's, this one's, go big, right?
cause you need, you need to
get that separation from
the teams under you.
Angela: yeah, you need that separation.
And I really think we're going to
be coming into this game with, a
bigger than anticipated chip on our
shoulder because those girls knew they
Mario: Oh yeah.
Angela: that's that's the thing.
It's like one of those,
Oh, this was taken from us.
We didn't play poorly.
We didn't like, you know, we didn't
throw this game away through.
Little dumb errors or like weird
little mistakes, heard Alyssa hit
the pitch from our seats like, you
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: sit.
We heard the thud when she
hit the ground at one point.
We're like, in no call?
Okay, sure, Jan.
Between Louisville and City,
historically, it's been very even.
We've got two wins, two draws, and a loss.
Let's make it 3 2 1.
Not twos across the board.
Not 2 3 1.
I want 3 2 1.
Three wins
Mario: Yes.
Angela: weekend.
Let's get it, let's
Mario: Let's go.
All right.
that's what we've got for today.
That's it.
Angela: Bye.
Mario: it's a reminder of
where to watch the next match.
It's Saturday, September 14th.
We are traveling to Kentucky to face
Racing Louisville at Lynn Family
Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.
It's going to be at 4.
30.
P.
M.
here in beautiful sunny LA.
It's going to be not as
hot as it was this weekend,
Angela: Hallelujah.
It's already so much cooler.
I hope everybody's taking
a nice deep breath.
Going
Mario: yes,
Angela: Maybe even
Mario: yeah,
Angela: See, without
Mario: just for a little bit.
and it's going to be streaming on ION
TV, and it's going to be on the radio
with Isaac and Tracy on iHeartRadio.
And if you want to go to the official
watch party, it's going to be at
Gelegetza on Olympic Boulevard.
It's family friendly, it, they usually
have giveaways, they usually have some fun
stuff, the street team's usually there.
So, go hang,
Angela: Galagetza also has
Mario: yeah, go hang out, and then,
like I said, we'll repost any of the
SGs that might be having their own
watch parties throughout the city.
that's the great thing about
all of this, is that, ACFC
tries to move their watch party.
Around the city as much as they can.
But then you've got the SGs filling
in kind of that spot everywhere else.
there's.
There's usually some type
of watch party near, Orange
County for the fans down there.
There's, On
the east side, there's,
sometimes out here in the valley.
it's great that it's spread all over.
And, if you don't have anywhere
to watch it, and you want to go
somewhere fun and cool, do our buddies
at WatchMe, and watch it there.
Angela: You read my mind.
Mario: They're gonna be there, and
they're gonna be playing that game.
go hang out.
Angela: And there's gonna be a ton
of Angel City fans there regardless.
Mario: if you're,
Angela: those Long Beach
Mario: yep,
Angela: roll deep.
Mario: so with all that being said,
if you like what you hear and you're
here at this point, then that means
you might like what you're hearing.
Hit the subscribe button
wherever you're listening.
Check us out at casualfc.
com for any of the pod links.
We're also on YouTube on video.
You can see our cool shirts,
for the Becky Tweet experience.
we're also going to be on video.
And slash audio on Spotify.
So go check us out there too.
Follow us on our socials at CasualCPod on
Instagram, Twitter, threads, and TikTok.
And the best ways to support the pod,
if you want the free 99 version, which
we absolutely adore and fully endorse,
share, like, or comment on any one
of our social media posts, maybe on a
couple of our social media posts, and,
Go to Spotify and go to YouTube and go
to, Apple and wherever you're listening
and write comments and rate us and
review us, it helps the channel grow.
Feed those algorithms and
pass it along to other people,
that might be interested also.
Apple knows that we're a soccer
podcast, so they might be like, hey,
if you want to support us a little
bit more, you can always grab some
merch that we're wearing, at shop.
casualfc.
com.
We have a bunch of stuff there.
We've, we're going to be saving the
rest of the ideas for next year.
We're going to make them good.
We're going to.
Angela: We're
Mario: We'll build it out, but we
still have some awesome stuff there,
and I still need to get my pride
mug from you, so I, yeah, she has
like five pride mugs now, but I,
Angela: One is still in a
box with your name on it.
I took, just for the record,
I took it to the watch party.
Completely
Mario: yeah,
Angela: it to you.
It was in the car the whole time.
Mario: it doesn't help that we parked
in completely opposite sides of
the parking lot too, alright, and
then if you want to help support
the pod, but don't feel like buying
anything, Extra stuff for your home.
You can always support us by
buying us a coffee at buymeacoffee.
com slash casualfcpod or check the link
in our bio and throw us a couple bucks.
One, two, five, whatever you want.
It's always much appreciated
Angela: 50.
Mario: Yeah, we, it amazes
us every single time.
Every single time,
Angela: Every time.
Mario: every time we're not
the only ones posting on our
stories and sharing our thing.
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: cause when we get pinged when
someone does it, that amazes us.
Angela: it's the
Mario: as much as someone giving
us money to keep this thing going.
So thank you everyone.
Tell a friend about the pod.
It brings us good luck.
They totally had that good luck.
Unfortunately, the ref fucked us over
Angela: He
Mario: and, we take that good luck
and we send it off to the team.
So we'll send it off to Kentucky.
And with that, thanks everyone.
Bye.
Angela: good weekend.
I was like what
Mario: Yeah, it doesn't have to say,
you don't actually have to say anything.
It just needs to be a rant.