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From causal and seasoned fans to fresh new fans to the game, Casual FC is your Angel City FC podcast previewing all upcoming matches, highlighting what to look for as the casual football fan.
Ang: I, I was sitting up straight when
I started recording and I've sunk.
And I just keep letting myself go.
Mario: Welcome to Casual FC,
an Angel City Preview Pod.
I'm your host, Mario Salazar, With my
concert going co host, Angela Morales.
Ang: Hi, everybody.
alive.
Mario: coming back at
all hours of the morning.
Who are you?
Ang: I went to see Motion
City Soundtrack at the Novo.
It was the 20th anniversary
of their first album.
I'm not going to miss that.
They're my favorite.
Mario: I've listened to a couple of their
albums over and over, especially early on.
And yeah, they're great.
very much.
Ang: fun dudes.
Mario: Yeah, very much
of our young adulthood.
But beyond
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: this is our match
preview for, the Houston Dash.
The game will be on Saturday, June 15th.
It'll be the Dash versus Angel City FC.
They will be traveling to Shell Energy
Stadium in Muggy, Houston, Texas.
The game's gonna start at 6.
30 PM for us.
It'll be on ION TV.
And it'll also be streaming on
the radio with Isaac and Tracey,
the homies, on iHeartRadio.
There's going to be an official
watch party Saturday, June 15th,
which is going to be another speed
friending event and party, so
Ang: Woo!
Mario: going to start at 5.
30.
The kickoff is at 6.
30, and it's all going to happen at High
Tops in Los Feliz on Vermont Avenue.
go check it out.
we just learned that it's also going
to be a Pride party because, Pride
Republic will be doing a watch party for
the LAFC match beforehand, and then it
kicks into the ACFC match after that.
It's just gonna be all
types of fun, all types
Ang: Big Gay Soccer Weekend!
Woo!
Mario: Woo!
yeah, if you go enjoy.
events, go enjoy the Everything that's
going on and the speed friending
and, let us know how it goes.
we unfortunately have other things that
preclude us from going to the watch party,
which, again, suck, but, we will be having
our respective fun, in other places.
I will make it to a damn watch party.
I'll also make it to a freaking
tailgate at some point.
At least one during this freaking season.
Okay, that's
Ang: Life has thrown us into a
blender, both, outside of the pod.
We've been busy.
Mario: Yeah, life is hard.
Adulting is hard.
But
Ang: Yes.
Mario: are always here.
We're always going to be here to
preview our matches and, support
the team, in good times and in bad.
we have a great episode today.
We actually are going to cut
to a fun interview with Luke
and Daisy from Pride Republic.
They are a LGBTQ community.
supporters group with the MLS side
LAFC, yet they have tons of members
that are also part of the ACFC
community and really supporting the
LGBTQ community within soccer itself.
thank you to Luke and Daisy
and enjoy our interview.
Welcome everybody.
And we are now going to talk with
Luke and Daisy from Pride Republic.
And Daisy is also one of
our very own Poderosas.
they're both the hosts of LGBTFC, a
podcast that supports the community
and is all about I, I feel very
awkward, talking about this, not,
being part of the community entirely.
So I'm like tripping
over my words a little.
Ang: you're,
Mario: welcome.
Ang: yeah,
Luke: We like to say that we intersection
of the LGBTQ community and the
beautiful game.
Ang: you're a more than
welcome ally, Mario.
Mario: Yes.
so welcome and happy Pride Month
everyone.
Daisy: Thank you.
Happy Pride.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: tell us a little bit
about, your podcast and how
you guys came to the sport.
did you play?
Did you,
just a fan?
how did you come about?
Daisy: Well, before we start, Luke and
I always start the show by identifying
ourselves and, showcasing pronouns.
So we're going to do that.
My name is Daisy and my pronouns
are she, her, ella, and I am queer.
Luke: My name is Luke.
My pronouns are he,
him, his, and I am gay.
And if anyone's familiar with
the Kinsey scale, I'm a Kinsey 6.
Nothing but blank stares.
Google it.
Ang: I, no, I was going to say, I haven't
looked at a Kenzie stale in a minute.
Mario: to join you, Mario, I am
he, him, his, and I am an ally.
Ang: Yay, Mario.
And I'm Angela.
My pronouns are she, her,
and I'm queer as well.
Luke: Excellent.
Ang: Yay, go team!
Luke: So to your
question,
LGBTFC is a podcast covering
the intersection of the LGBTQ
plus community and the beautiful
game by telling people stories.
We've had on nearly 100 guests over
55 episodes over the last couple
of years, including a current men's
professional footballer, a retired men's
professional footballer, actually two
current Men's professional footballers.
One who identifies as gay,
one who identifies as human.
That was an interesting one.
that's, that one was actually E.
A.
Sanchez, who currently plays for the Los
Angeles Football Club as a midfielder.
And we've also had on lots and lots of
supporters of the beautiful game from all
around the world, actually, because we've
had several episodes for the, when we had
the Men's World Cup and several episodes
when we had the Women's World Cup,
where we had guests who were supporters
of teams in other parts of the world.
just.
Love being able to bring on folks
who identify as LGBTQ primarily.
We have had a couple allies as well.
Mario, we are friendly to allies.
Nothing to be afraid of there.
I, a funny one for me was we
actually did in our first big
Allies episode, we scheduled and
weeks in advance in our first year.
it ended up being the day
after LAFC won the MLS Cup.
Daisy remembers quite
clearly, we were, we were, we
Ang: Oh, wow.
Luke: And we had on these three folks,
we're all just thinking, because we
had just won MLS Cup and so we're just
completely lost our minds and everything,
but then we had all our allies on to talk
about, how much we love LAFC and also how
much we love the LGBTQ plus community.
So it's been a great experience so far.
We love doing this.
Daisy and I just have
a great time together.
Ang: love it.
Thank you guys so much for doing
that and telling those stories.
there's We forget our history.
We forget like those communal
spaces that exist and exist outside
of our little bubble as humans.
So I'm so excited to deep
dive into your podcast.
And I am a perpetual 1.
sped up podcast listener.
So I'll hit you guys up when I catch up.
Luke: few guests who speak at that speed
to begin with, so good luck with those
Ang: Yes!
Luke: folks.
Ang: Those will be the 1.
2.
The slower ones will be the 1.
5.
So how did you guys, or how did
the two of you get into soccer?
Did, do you have playing history?
Were you just fans?
what's your soccer
background?
Daisy: I can start.
so I grew up in a Mexican household
here in Los Angeles and so of course
whenever the And I think with the way
the men's national team played, it seemed
like the world just stopped for us.
our neighborhood was quiet, the
traffic was completely still, and
you can sometimes, depending on your,
cable, your TV, you could hear the
next door neighbors if a goal was
scored and your TV was just a little
slow, It just became cheers and stuff.
that's from just being a child.
I remember that watching
the games with my mom.
And then after, of course, playing
soccer with the childhood, our childhood
friends and neighbors and all of that.
And then in school, joining teams
and all of that and eventually I
became a goalkeeper, so throughout
high school I played as goalkeeper,
just love, love the game.
I would definitely say it's perhaps my
first love, ever, so it's been pretty,
pretty amazing to now turn around and
be able to be, Fully immersed in just
being a supporter, with LAFC, with Angel
City, of course, I'm an LA native, so
for me, anything LA is super important,
and to be able to then meet people like
Luke, who I don't know if our world would
have crossed had it not been for him.
Pride Republic and LAFC,
it's super amazing.
You just get to meet everyone
from different walks of life, and
we get to show up as ourselves.
That's one of the things that we're
constantly talking about, showing up as
our authentic selves, to the games and,
being proud, being loud, and then, Being
able to participate in every way because
Luke and I often talk about how, as
members of the LGBTQ plus community, we
are everywhere and we've been everywhere.
It's just perhaps now we're getting a
little more visibility, more acceptance.
Of course, there's still challenges,
but we continue to push that, that
envelope of acceptance, of inclusion,
and just being able to succeed together.
Ang: I love it.
Mario: yeah, like a lot of the,
what's not the established norm,
we've all been here, right?
gay, straight, Latino, Salvadorian,
European, like, you know, Doesn't matter.
We've all been here.
It's never just been the one thing, right?
So it's great to be able to see
all of that kind of keep growing.
And especially at the ACFC games,
it's just like all the love and all
the acceptance and all the kind of
just like celebration of it all.
Um, I think I was messaging Luke and
he was just like, Oh yeah, games are
pretty, basically a pride match every day,
Ang: Yeah.
We, my fiance Eva and I have
invited many friends and they're
like, are they like, what is it?
What is it like?
And I'm like, do you want to go and
have fun and feel safe to be out and
have a good time and watch sports?
And they're like, yes.
I was like, do you also
want to go to a party?
And they're like, yes.
I'm like, cool.
We'll see you on Sunday.
like we'll see you at BMO.
So it's, I just love the environment
that we've created there.
Mario: how about you, Luke?
How did
Luke: Yeah.
Uh, it's not like I played my
whole life or anything like that.
I tried a little bit when I was
a kid, and I was able to make the
team when they didn't have cuts,
then when they did, I was cut.
get very far there.
I will say, I already knew at that
point in my life as a little kid, 5th
or 6th grade, I already knew I was a
little different, and team sports were
a little bit of a struggle, because
at the end of the game, everyone
went back to the locker room, and
that was a terrifying place for me.
I know that, we, there's this stereotype
that, gay men or gay kids, want to
be in the locker room because, ooh,
that's, somehow exciting for them.
Just terrifying.
Ang: It's the most
uncomfortable experience.
Luke: yeah, that, it was a turn off
for me, and so I ended up really being
drawn to more like individualized
sports, so I did track and field, I
did tennis, I was in high school, I
did pretty well actually in tennis,
was something though that I'd always
still remained interested in, I grew up
in the Midwest, And so it wasn't like,
there was a big soccer culture there.
This is a number of years ago.
now Detroit has Detroit City
FC, which I'm like, I wish that
existed when I had been there.
MLS was just getting going, but I
would put on an MLS game and all you
would hear is like the one sad air horn
in the corner of the stadium, right?
The the whole game.
This is the saddest thing.
Why would anyone want to watch this?
Especially
Ang: The era.
Luke: after it was because the U.
S.
hosted the World Cup, which was, like,
amazing, you've got tens of thousands
of people at every one of these games,
and then you, then MLS comes along right
after that, and it's whoa, that's a shift.
I didn't really get super into it,
but then when I came to LA a number
of years ago, to date a guy who
I'm now married to, it worked out.
We actually just celebrated our 10th
Ang: Oh,
yay.
Luke: Yeah.
when I came
Daisy: Woo hoo!
Mario: congratulations!
Luke: you.
I was like, oh, there's this soccer team.
I want to go check it out.
early on moving to LA, got a
couple friends together and
we drove down to Carson for a
game, that was the other team.
Firstly, the traffic was so horrible
just to get into the parking lot.
We didn't get into the
game until the 60th minute.
was boring.
it was boring.
I was bored and I was annoyed
and I was like, I don't want to
come back to this ever again.
And then they had my phone number and
they kept calling me and I was like,
you're boring, move your stadium.
And, I went back a couple times.
was cool when they got Robbie Rodgers.
I was like, that's great.
they had this openly gay men's footballer.
That was a big deal.
And then he left.
And, they're like, you want, you
want to come to our Pride Night?
We're giving away rainbow,
fanny packs or whatever.
I'm like, cool.
it wasn't my favorite thing.
And then I saw this
LAFC club get announced.
I was like, that looks really cool.
they want to be in the middle of LA,
which is, oh, by the way, what AEG
could have done a long time ago if
they wanted, because there's a lot of
money with that organization, but they
decided not to because they're cheap.
a couple years in on LAFC, along
comes Angel City FC, so guess what?
We have season tickets to both,
and we go to a lot of games, as I'm
sure some of y'all can relate to.
There was just a couple
weeks ago, we had four
Ang: Mario.
Luke: Oh my gosh, but I love it.
my, before I'd even been to a single
LAFC game, I saw stuff about Pride
Republic, and I was like, what is this?
This looks so cool.
And before I'd even been to BMO, then
Bank of California, I went to a watch
party with Pride Republic, and we
watched LAFC, I think we beat Portland
or tied Portland or something, and
I was like, alright, this is fun.
these are fun people, this is cool,
I've never had this kind of experience
before, and Daisy said something about,
I don't know that I would have ever
met Luke than for something like this.
I wouldn't have ever met Daisy if
it weren't for something like this,
I feel Like, I'm the one who's
lucky here, because I'm meeting
some of the coolest frickin people.
being exposed in ways like, we
just did this, we just had Pride
Night BMO on June 1st for LAFC.
Which is not as redundant for
Ang: Yeah.
Luke: it is for Angel City.
the TIFO was Wanga.
If I had told you a few months ago what
Wanga meant, I would have been like, I
have no idea what you're talking about.
I learned.
learned, and I educated myself.
And I educated my friends
who were like, who was that?
And I was like, let me tell you.
And oh, by the way, Google.
I feel enriched and better off for having
had that experience for being able to be
part of that, for getting to that TIFO
with other folks for whom this was an
incredibly personal and important and
life changing experience to know How
meaningful that was for them and to be
able to be a part of that and help make
that possible for them and for others
who maybe didn't even know that was going
to happen and then got to go through and
got to experience that at the stadium.
What an incredible thing.
I just feel incredibly fortunate
to be able to be a part of this.
Daisy: And just to add, if y'all haven't
seen the Juan Gabriel TIFO Luke is
talking about for LAFC, look it up.
It was amazing.
They pulled it up to Noah, which
is an iconic song by this legend.
for me, it just meant the
world to be able to do that.
To see this beautiful TIFO come together
and then to just wow, how far we've come.
because, growing up, I never disclosed,
that I was queer when I played sports
because I thought it was going to hurt me.
And to now be in this place where
I'm like, I have an idea for a TIFO.
How about this?
for pride and have it come together.
That's It's been pretty, pretty amazing.
Mario: Yeah, when I was at that game when
the TIFO went up and I took a picture of
it and sent it to Ange like right away.
I was
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: this is an awesome TIFO.
I love this.
Ang: Yeah, he gave me the rundown,
what song was there, who, I
was like, wait, who is this?
What is happening?
This is beautiful.
Mario: The fireworks.
I did
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: the, laser light
show at the end too.
And I was
Luke: You know what got
me in the fields of the
Mario: is going to step
Ang: Yeah.
Luke: show?
What got me in the fields was the videos.
I knew they were gonna
do a fireworks show.
I was like, cool, whatever.
that's really cool that the club
wanted to do that for Pride Night.
They actually had some interest
in doing that last year and
then couldn't make it happen.
So it was like the, only the second time
ever that they've had a fireworks show
after an LAFC match in six years, right?
So that's a big deal.
Ang: What were the videos?
Luke: of the Pride Republic members.
the video started, it was in,
Ang: no.
Luke: in
Ang: I,
Luke: It was black and
Ang: I would have been bawling.
Luke: you, I'm telling you, out in black
and white, and it was like slow, people
just kind of like, appearing, coming
in and out of frame, and then it, the
music started, the fireworks started,
it went into full color, and people were
chanting and cheering on the video, and I
Ang: Oh my god.
Luke: I'm gonna lose it.
was really special.
Ang: would have been decimated
in the stands, just bawling.
Mario: I'll send you the video again and
take a look, because I actually did, I
noticed, because I'm like right next to,
the really long, screen on the south end,
so I would, I noticed that there was video
going on, so I would pan over, but that
until it, went dark and then went, I was
in my cinematographer mode and got the
fireworks and the lasers then the screen
would come back on and so I would pan
over and then start recording the screen.
So I got most of all of that,
Ang: I'll have to re watch that video.
Mario: it's, it was great.
honestly, it was a great, event.
I feel like it was a great game.
It was a great was super fun.
And like the Pride Republic was just
being front and center and present
and being shouted out the entire time,
which I was like, yes, like I've known
about and I've followed Pride Republic
on Instagram from the beginning.
But I feel like this year was like
the biggest year or like the time
that they've been represented.
Luke: That's really on
the club, too, by the way.
certainly Pride Republic has had
a hand in this, and we've really
been
Ang: That's fantastic.
Luke: club really stepped up.
And I don't know if, maybe Angel City is
saying, showing them, like, how it's done.
Um, but, it is nice to see LAFC
really, this is, MLS is weird.
MLS, it's the clubs aren't individual,
they're like all part of MLS or
whatever, there's very little
individuality for any in particular,
Ang: Yeah.
Luke: LAFC is one of just a couple in the
entire league that has been very clear
from the get go, but especially in the
last few years about the visibility and
importance and value they place on the
LGBTQ plus community as part of their
supporters, and that, is not a given.
Even in this league and other parts,
we hear from folks in other cities who
wear the clubs, their pride night is
like diversity night or, differences,
Ang: Yeah, they can't say it.
Luke: their pride scarf is like
red, blue and green and Pink,
and it's not quite a rainbow.
what are
Ang: Yeah.
Luke: doing here?
and we, we've really been very
fortunate, I think, and part of that,
we're in LA, what are you going to say?
But at the same time, you the club
down the road, they're not nearly as
clear about this as this club has been.
LAFC have been very clear.
And, and frankly, perhaps, Angel City has
shown them in some ways, because Angel
City came in and they just said, we're
going to center our LGBTQ community.
that is us.
our center and LAFC have gotten closer
to that, but they still, if you look
at anything they post on social media,
it is just a litany of remarks, the
comments after that are just horrible.
even when MLS posted the Juan Gabriel
Ang: Yeah.
Luke: the remarks that people made
on that, it was just like, oh my
gosh, y'all, take a deep breath and
think twice before you say something
like that, because that lives,
Ang: Ugh, hateful is such hard work.
Luke: Goodbye.
Ang: with people that
it's it's so much effort.
You have to put so much time and so much
energy, or you could just, let people
live and just go on your merry way.
And you'll be way less stressed, just,
Luke: thing to do is to
Ang: and nothing will
change for your life.
Yes, Exactly.
Exactly.
Mario: also, I remember this little,
and I could be complete, it could
have been complete BS, but, the,
was this thing that said, it takes
more muscles in your face to frown
Ang: Yes,
Mario: smile.
Luke: It's true.
Ang: It's true.
Mario: There you go.
Daisy: I did not know that.
Ang: Yeah.
Anatomical Angela over here is
yeah, it's 80 some different
muscles get triggered or five.
many wrinkles do you want?
Mario: Yeah, just be happy.
All right.
And then, something what we've asked
every guest that we've had on is,
everybody's coming, ACFC so young and
so new, everybody has that talent.
memory or thing that solidified soccer
for you or, like what was, if you can
name a favorite, like women's soccer,
Moment pre A-F-C-F-C and then something
that has happened post, now that the
team is here, it could be anything on
the field, off the field, community wise,
just if there's a, if you have a nice
moment that you sticks out in your head.
Daisy: I can go.
For me, I was in high school, when the U.
S.
Women's, World Cup happened here,
and they played at the Rose Bowl.
I watched it from home, but I already
love soccer, and of course, we just
didn't have, until very recently, the
same type of access to being able to
just watch women play soccer, right?
And for me, that was just Such
a memorable time because the U.
S.
won, but even further, to see women
of color playing, so Brianna's goalie
was just, amazing to have them come in
and save such a, an important penalty
in the shootout, was just such a big
moment, I think as a goalie, you always
think about how your, position just
depends on impacts the game, right?
You can definitely lose and it'll
be terrible, but you can also
make it so that the other team
just can't make it any further.
And so that's also such
a, just electric feeling.
And so for me, that's something
that's just has always been, an
impactful moment in history for women.
And then of course, then jumping on to
seeing where we are now with not just
Angel City, but women playing soccer and
visibly playing soccer around the world.
Ang: It's almost if you make
it to watch, people watch it.
oh my gosh.
There's a, there's so many,
viewership records being broken.
And I saw something the other day
on Twitter that they're like, wait,
are these numbers happening now?
And people are like,
cause we're on ESPN now.
We're on CBS.
We're on national TV now.
not some janky, Go90, weird
app that barely works.
you have to hold your phone at a
specific angle to try and get it.
we have access and it just
makes it a lot easier.
shocking,
Mario: Yeah.
Luke: true.
I actually have a little bit of
theory that is in general why soccer
has become much more popular over
the last 5 10 years is the access
to it, people's ability to see it.
You
Ang: absolutely.
Mario: hear so many
stories of soccer fans.
pre MLS, post, early days MLS,
you're still, you might have friends
that, that were fans of, Man United
or, or Juventus or something like
that, but it's you're not getting
or watching anything in real time.
You're not, You're going in some weird
soccer forum online, barely, web 1.
0 type thing, and trying to like scour
information of what happened, it's
not, it was not easily available.
So it made you, it let you nerd
out about it, but it also made
it that much harder, right?
And then now that it's everywhere, the
NWSL has, although it's a fragmented right
now of Being able to see it, can see it.
that's the beauty of it.
It's it's there.
there's a fairly low barrier
to entry to, to watch them.
like the ones on, NWSL.
are free.
yes, there's a whole conversation
about, the fact that you have to have
the technology to watch it in the
first place, but the fact that becoming
more easily accessible, and that's
why records are being broken, that's
why people are getting to see the
product on the field, they're getting
to see the excitement and getting
to see the always been there, right?
And I think that's the common thread of
a lot of this is it's always been here.
Like you, you just, guys just kept
ignoring it, but it's there and
it's real and you can't ignore it.
Ang: I think that's a big, the
undercurrent of Pride as a whole
is that we've always been here.
You're just now paying attention
doing whatever you're doing with
those thoughts while we just try
to survive and enjoy our lives.
I'm so excited to see Pride Republic at
more Angel City matches and integrate
more with the Angel City community,
granted, Luke, you said it's redundant
to have a Pride game at an Angel City
match, still, it's one of those monumental
moments of Sports in the summer, I
think at this point, are Pride Nights.
So how do you two see the interaction
of the, of like our community in soccer
and now at match days for Angel City?
And have you seen it change just in
the short couple years we've been team?
Or is it, how do you two see it as
organizers within the community?
Luke: I think, yeah, I say that going
to an Angel City game, it's, if you're
having a pride night, it's a little
redundant and that's mostly true.
I don't mean that to be glib.
I think there's, has been relatively
true within the women's soccer league.
for that we have explored some on LGBT
is talk with folks who are supporters
in the women's game, it is such a
universally like in, in the Netherlands
and England and Germany and Ireland
and Australia, women's game is just,
it's just a different experience.
It's a different vibe.
It's a different thing.
and it has been much more supportive
and inclusive of the LGBTQ community.
for much, much longer.
so I'm happy that's there.
I'm happy that exists.
And if for no other reason, it
is compelling and important that
we have something like Angel
City FC here in Los Angeles.
I think that has been a real benefit
to our communities that we have
that access, like Daisy was talking
about being able to go, and see when
professional women's footballers
playing right in your hometown.
it's, it's accessible and, and seeing the
families that are there and kids who are
getting to experience this for the first
time, that was something that we didn't
have available to us when we were kids.
that's changing many
people's lives the better.
I think something that I would just,
observe about the men's side, when
we were at the Pride Parade a couple
days ago, of the guys who was one
of our capos for our, walking in
the parade and chanting and singing
the whole way, it was his second L.
A.
Pride and his first one was last year,
he brought a buddy of his who's a
capo who, for him, it was his first L.
A.
It was his first Pride ever, and
this guy's like in his 50s, and
he's oh my gosh, this is so fun!
This is so much fun!
And after the parade, He was going up and
hugging everyone and he was having such
a great time and I think that there's
something to be said for in an environment
where the men's game has this experience.
the machismo or, there's more sort
of the latent or obvi or blatant
homophobia that, that happens have the
visibility that we've been bringing
to this with Pride Republic, to have
people showing up and participating in
the Pride Parade, have the Pride Night.
these are things that are changing
hearts and minds and far beyond
anything that, We necessarily
Ang: Yeah.
Luke: right?
I can relay a few stories, but there are
a lot of folks that I'm not engaging with,
that Daisy's not engaging with, don't
know what, what they're going through,
what's happening, and they're seeing
something and experiencing something and
learning something and growing as well.
So, I think there's a real value in
that is a little harder to see where
the women's game necessarily, because
the women's game is already there.
we're we're pushing a little harder on the
men's game to get there because they're
not, but I think there's some opportunity
to shift it a little bit more than maybe
there already is in the women's game
because is so there, like there's a U.
S.
women's, 20, 21 year old women's
midfielder who like made some comment
recently that was just transphobic or
whatever, and she's getting booed, right?
Like people don't want her on the pitch,
Ang: Yeah.
I have big feelings about
that whole situation.
Luke: that wouldn't happen
in the men's game, right?
If someone did that in the
men's game, people might even
applaud that person, right?
So there's work that has to happen to get
people to understanding, the value and the
importance of the inclusivity of the LGBTQ
plus community in the men's game that
has, for at least in most parts of the
world in the women's game, already there.
we're really trying to Elevate that,
and even just having our tent with
our rainbow flags at the LAFC tailgate
every game, that's making, that is
making a visibility statement for
folks who might otherwise never ever.
queer people in their day to day.
Daisy: Yeah.
um, totally agree with Luke for LAFC
because that's been the only, MLS
team that I've been connected to.
It's incredible where we started.
When we, when LAFC first started,
you had a homophobic chant being,
yelled out whenever the goalie
kicked the ball because that's,
very, I would say a very Mexican
men's national team, practice, right?
And so we saw that when LAFC first
started, and I would say that it was
folks that, who are part of Pride Republic
or connected to Pride Republic, our
allies, our friends, our families who
made it a point to push back and end it.
You don't hear that now.
And when you do, the very few people that,
that sometimes, you know, especially for
the bigger games where you have a lot of
folks who are not regulars who come in and
join the North End, we're much quicker.
We're much faster, and there's
a lot more of us who will turn
around and make it end Right.
there and then, without the fear of
violence, without the fear of, some
kind of aggression being thrown at you.
That, to me, is such progress, because
for a long time, that, that had been
such a practice, and you still see it,
unfortunately, with the Mexican men's
national team, not the women's, that
still happens, and that lesson hasn't
been learned there, but to Luke's point
of why visibility matters, Is the fact
that we have folks who will come to the
tent of the tailgates, who will come
to us because they see us waving the
flag or wearing our pride scarves, and
will tell us like, hey, I saw you from
across over there, and I feel this way,
I'm this way, this is how I identify,
or, my child, my sister, my brother.
All those things, right?
And for me, when the statement of, for
LAFC, of standing shoulder to shoulder
is, has always been a promise, If you
really stand shoulder to shoulder,
that means with all of us, right?
And just, I have your back, I
expect you to have my back, right?
And just having those conversations has
been pretty, you know, sometimes scary
to have those conversations with total
strangers, but I can assure you I've
never had an experience where after we're
done talking, I felt whoa, that was a
waste of time or something like that.
and of course, with with, Pride Republic
out in the tailgate, it's pretty amazing
to see the allies that come forward and
say hi to, even for, when, oftentimes it
happens from the team we're playing, who
will come over and say yo, we saw you.
I want to say hello, I'm queer, I'm
this, I'm that, and so that's been pretty
awesome to witness and with Angel City has
taught me like this is what's possible.
I didn't know because LAFC came first,
but now with Angel City from day one, it's
just been incredible, for many reasons.
For me, Angel City is a dream come
true because it was the first time
that I got to experience watching
women professionally play soccer.
I had never had that
opportunity growing up.
but then to just see how queer
it is and how accepting it is and
inclusive it is, that's been stunning.
Just blew my mind.
but when Angel City first started
for LAFC, we take a halftime picture
for Pride at the seventh minute.
We all get together by one of
the main entrances and we take
this Pride picture, right?
For Angel City, we try to redo
that and soon realize that it
was not even needed, right?
We did it for LAFC.
For visibility, but for Angel
City, we're like, wow, it doesn't
really matter because to me, every
picture is so queer, it's so gay.
We could be in the stand, we could be in
the line for the bathroom, we could be,
getting a beer, whatever it is, it's just
such, an environment that's inclusive
of the LGBTQ plus experience, identity.
So we stopped doing it because every
picture is just so queer, and so
hoping that in the future, Luke, we
can have that for LAFC and it's just.
Just bigger, better, more
visible, and inclusive.
just LAFC.
Across all the men's games, where
it seems to be falling behind.
Ang: Absolutely.
That's fantastic.
Do y'all have any more
events for the month?
what's coming up?
I know you mentioned a
watch party on Saturday.
tell us everything.
Luke: because it's actually going
Ang: get your calendars
out, write stuff down.
Luke: most incredible LAFC,
Angel City FC mashup ever.
Okay?
Get ready for this.
happening on Saturday, June 15th, LAFC
kickoff against Orlando at 4 30 p.
m.
All right, City kickoff
against Houston 6 30 p.
m.
Just minutes after LAFC's matches.
Ang: Ooh.
Luke: Both of those matches will be
playing At High Tops Los Feliz on
Ramada in Los Feliz or Los Feliz,
however you prefer to pronounce it.
That might, your choice.
They'll be playing as part of a,
Ang: Proper Spanish or LA Spanish.
Luke: as part of an afternoon
of Pride Watch Parties.
Okay?
for the, LAFC match, we're
gonna have, we're inviting
all of the supporters groups.
It's gonna be posted on LAFC's
official social media post about this
is the official Pride watch party.
We wanna pack that place.
We're gonna have drums going.
then once that game ends, we got
Angel City FC with their Pride
watch party, same location.
keep the party going, having a blast
with all the LGBTQ plus and allied
folks at High Tops Los Feliz, Los Feliz,
rocking it out for a few more hours.
It's going to be four straight
hours of queer soccer or football.
So
Ang: love it.
love it.
that's so cool.
Luke: you can make it up to High Tops,
Mario: yeah, me and family time preclude
me from going to a lot of watch parties.
Like, I've got birthdays after birthdays
after birthdays right now every weekend.
Ang: Yeah, this weekend, I think.
are actually going to what's being
called a quote, big gay barbecue.
It's really 10 people.
It's big enough, but it's,
uh, at friend of the podcast.
Like we, we met this couple
through them listening.
And now we're like buddies and we're
going to go hang out, watch, or
watch the game after the barbecue.
Mario: But for
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: who wants to
Ang: Go to HITOPS!
Mario: gayest watch party
possible, go to High Tops.
You're just gonna have an amazing time.
Ang: Yeah, sure there will be tons of
giveaways between Angel City, LAFC, both
There's going to be all kinds of swag.
Luke: have their merch truck parked
outside and they're going to be
bringing in their street team as well.
huh.
They're taking this
seriously and High Tops is
Ang: that's dope.
Luke: They're super excited.
Ang: is doing a lot for
Angel City and LAFC.
they're on board and it's dope.
Mario: All right.
to, before we sign off, I just wanted to.
Be able to give you guys a chance to plug
anything else you guys have been doing,
plug LGBTFC or, how do people find more
about the SG, about, Pride Republic, about
the podcast, whatever you guys want to
Luke: As the President
of Pride Republic,
I feel like, I would be remiss
not to plug all our socials.
at LAFC Pride, Twitter.
I won't call it.
I'm gonna deadname that thing.
just 'cause Elon deserves it.
and
Ang: that's the one thing I will,
Luke: LAFCPrideRepublic on Instagram.
LGBTFC is at LGBT_FCpod on
Twitter, Instagram, and Threads.
And you can find me for at least my
soccer social media stuff on Instagram and
Threads at LGBT, or excuse me, at LGBT.
L A F C dot Luke.
So feel free to follow, whatever.
I'm up for all of it.
I love the beautiful game.
I love the LGBTQ plus community.
I love my husband.
I love our dogs.
I love our home.
happy to, check in about anything.
Daisy: then for our podcast, we're
always looking to welcome supporters.
You don't necessarily need to follow LAFC.
we love to talk to members of the LGBTQ
plus community and any intersection with
the beautiful games, sports in general.
So hit us up if you would like
to be part of the podcast.
I don't know.
I'm thinking maybe we have an ally and,
And, and also Angela to participate.
It'll be amazing.
but yeah, we're always
looking, listen to us, share.
You never know who it connects to.
Luke: Yeah, I, we are open to LGBTQ and
allied supporters with Pride Republic and,
within the, Supporters culture for LAFC,
we're not as active for Pride Republic
with Angel City, going back to the earlier
point about, LGBTQ plus is very much
integrated within all of the supporters
groups basically for Angel City and the
overall supporter culture, but it's We
certainly have many members, like Daisy,
who's on our board, like Melissa, who's
also on our board, and others who are
very active and involved with Angel City.
I might dare say maybe more active and
involved with Angel City than LAFC.
love it, though.
we just love being able to
bring the LGBTQ plus community
together around a beautiful game.
Ang: Absolutely.
And it's, you have to go
where you're needed as well.
we have such an integrated
community with Angel City.
So if it means that we're able to pause
efforts there for a little bit and bring
it over to the men's game and hopefully.
Catch them up a little bit?
Then, dope.
Luke: all about catching them up.
Get with the times, y'all.
Mario: thank you.
Yeah.
Ang: honestly.
Mario: thank you, Luke
and Daisy for joining us.
And, it's been amazing.
Everyone, please go check
out, Pride Republic, whether
you're an LAFC fan or not.
It, just, I think having that group and
be there for the representation you,
if you feel like you need it, right?
Like you need that support group.
Everybody needs to find their
people and, hit them up and find
out what they're more about.
so thank you for joining us and we'll
hope to see you at the next game.
Luke: Sounds great.
Ang: All right.
I hope you enjoyed our conversation
with Luke and Daisy from
Pride Republic and LGBTFC Pod.
I'm super pumped.
We're already planning to
do another crossover episode
with them where we go on.
I'm gonna drag Eva in for that one.
She might not have a choice.
But back to our regularly
scheduled program, the Chaos Award.
this one's a good one.
Mario: Yeah, this one was one
that like, I saw yesterday.
I saw the highlight
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: okay.
Forget whatever
Ang: Yeah.
No question.
Mario: This is the Chaos
Ang: So if you were Within 10 feet
of anything NWSL related, you most
likely know that Sophia Smith wound
up with a red card due to card
accumulation in the game over the weekend
Mario: In
Ang: because Yes, within the last two
minutes or minute of stoppage time,
she had received a yellow card during
the game, subbed out, chillin on
the bench, and the ball rolls over.
The video looks like she went to get
the ball and it rolled under the seat.
There's question, did she just hide it?
Yeah.
Mario: that thing and
hit it in the pocket.
And I was like, I don't know
what you're talking about.
Ang: So she received a second yellow
card while on the bench, which resulted
in a red, which results in a suspension.
Mario: So she will not be
playing this next match.
Ang: Exactly.
So the question is, was this
shithousery and just shenanigans
or unsportsmanlike behavior?
Mario: And, just to clarify for
people that might have heard
that term for the first time, or.
Not quite sure what we mean by
shithousery, in our Soccer 101, 102, 103
episodes, I don't know exactly which one,
probably the second one, shithousery is
the, it's when the players start doing
stuff to intentionally waste time, to
intentionally the edge on the other team.
a lot of it will be like when the players
take the ball down to the corner and hold
it in the corner and just like battle off.
Some people just take some
seconds off the clock.
same thing with, This will
actually get you a card though.
But like when, like the, you
just intentionally kick the ball
down the field or something.
Like just, oops, sorry.
or when the goalie, then the ball's
like right there and then they
decide to go around the goal to go
get the other to reset the kick.
So
Ang: Exactly.
Mario: all of that goes under
the umbrella of shit Hauser.
Now the question is this
considered shith shit?
Hauser is almost.
a it's almost like the extra part of
the sport it's like the if you can
do it there's an elegant way to do it
Ang: Yes.
Mario: and this one is was not and
Ang: No.
Mario: now become unsportsman
behavior like she they had the
lead she was doing this to waste
time and to keep the lead but like
I don't know, me it was very much like a
little brat move,
Ang: It's both.
It's shithousery and it's, it
borders on unsportsmanlike behavior.
Do I think it deserved a yellow?
No.
there was like a minute left in the game.
Mario: yeah,
Ang: Was it consequential?
Mario: it doesn't, I guess to me
it's like it doesn't matter if it's
consequential, it's like the other team
had the momentum or wants to gain the
momentum and you're just like straight up,
Ang: That's fair.
Mario: you're completely hiding it, right?
there's like a difference between,
holding the ball and pretending
to be like, Oh, it's our throw in.
No, oh, it's not our throw in.
It's our throw in.
there's a difference between that
and her, hiding it under the bench.
but it, I don't know.
And then, it leaves that kind of unsports
It's not as bad, but, the English
player who got suspended for stomping?
Who's she plays on Chelsea.
Ang: There's a few.
Mario: That got
Ang: Lauren James?
Mario: Oh, yeah, Lauren James, yes.
Ang: As soon as you said stomping, I was
like, oh, the girl who steps on people?
Mario: yeah,
Ang: Ugh.
Mario: does it multiple times, like
she's gotten a card for it multiple
Ang: Yeah.
That's one of those things
that's dangerous and I don't
understand why it's not.
A bigger deal.
Mario: yeah, this wasn't dangerous, but
Ok, tell us.
I'll post the video, I'll post
a little poll, shithousery
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: behavior.
You tell us which one I'm going to
go with unsportsman, like behavior.
what are you going to go with?
Ang: I don't know.
I, I literally think it is on the line.
Mario: Okay, then I'll throw a It's
Ang: it's immediately in the middle.
Mario: So with that being the crazy
shenanigans that happened, during
this chaos week, like honestly,
that's the thing that took.
The news cycle.
let's go for the roundabout
scores for the week.
And that is me.
The roundabout scores for the weekend.
one over Houston, two to nothing.
San Diego tied with Orlando.
Chicago lost to Bay FC, two to one.
Utah lost to the Spirit,
one to, zero to one.
And this, the Portland match that we
were just talking about, Portland won 1
0 over North Carolina Courage, but, some
shithousery going on, and, Kansas City
Current beat Seattle 5 2, which brings us
Ang: That game was wild, for the record.
Mario: I didn't get to see that one, and
I saw the score and I was like, damn,
that brings us to our match, which, we'll
go quickly through it because it's more
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: More of the same.
Ang: All right.
if you remember, we
matched up against Gotham.
We lost 2 1.
Crystal Dunn scored.
We scored.
Clarice scored the silliest goal.
Syd was a decoy.
It was a happy accident.
Who knows?
But we scored in the 51st minute.
And then for some reason we left
Rose Lavelle wide open and then
she scored 10 minutes later.
It happened.
I just
Mario: So I listened
Ang: There's 10 to 15 minutes a game
Mario: huh,
Ang: that we just forget
that we have to do things.
Mario: yeah.
Yeah, I listened to the first half
because I went for a morning run with
the run club that I'm a part the meetup
ended just about as the game started,
since this was, a morning brunch
match, and as I was driving home, I was
like, listening to it, Isaac's doing
an amazing job, getting some exciting
moments at least over the over iHeart.
Then I get home, I turn on
the TV, and boom, Dunn scores.
And I'm like, am I the bad luck?
what's going
Ang: I told you were.
Mario: I needed to turn off the
Ang: He texted me, I turn
on the TV, immediately they
score, and I said, turn it off.
Mario: and so, we'll talk about it when
we're previewing the match, but, it's
a little bit more of the same thing.
That has been going on.
Same things that we want to
happen haven't happened yet.
And so here we are with another, loss.
Ang: Yeah.
So we posted on Instagram our normal,
thoughts and feelings, but it was a give
us your two to one, two good, one bad.
Mario: really
Ang: of each and an extra.
Yeah, we didn't get so many
this week, but that's okay.
We got our old faithfuls here.
We've got Max, who said the
good thing was Lily Nabet.
Which I have other feelings
about, which is interesting.
I should message Max and see why.
But bad is the chemistry,
which I agree with.
Everything felt a little
disjointed this weekend.
Not sure if,
Mario: that's what's been happening
Ang: but like more We didn't know
where people were on the pitch.
It was weird.
Like it felt like they forgot
who their teammates were.
Like you, you were in the same color.
Anyway,
We've got Ethan who
Mario: We've got Ethan
who said
Ang: that turnovers were the issue.
And he said turnovers, parentheses,
not the croissant, so not Clarice, end
parentheses, I almost said end croissant.
I would love a croissant right now.
he said not following through on
the attack, and then turnovers, and
then parentheses, another croissant
emojis, this time to eat our feelings.
I don't blame him.
Yeah, we had a Not great game of passing.
Mario: no, not at all.
Ang: No.
And when you're playing a team who
just came out of international break
practice, basically, Gotham, half
the team are national team starters.
Crystal Dunn, Tierna Davidson, Emily
Sonnet, Rose Lavelle, who am I missing?
Oh, I'm thinking Midge,
but Midge is got an SEI.
But you have,
Mario: you, Tierney Davidson?
Ang: Yeah, she scored a brace for Pride.
Go gays.
Also said go gays.
Yeah, she did a great job.
But yeah, it was just, it was a
disjointed performance from Angel City.
That's what it felt like.
And then Jeff, he said the good,
Le'Beyon and Reid were really good today.
The bad, Gotham's roster.
Too stacked.
With a blowing smoke.
Emoji, which I agree with.
They're getting healthier.
They're getting, stronger as a team.
They're still very dangerous.
Mario: yes.
Um, if you listened to our last
episode where we were talking with
Christian Polanco from the Koolikens,
Ang: No big deal.
Mario: no big deal.
he did mention, he was, he went
through the, he essentially
went through the entire team,
Ang: Mhm.
Mario: mention, he's not too sure if we
were going to win this one, if as in,
Angel City, and, he just didn't see,
like, where that was gonna come from.
Us being homers, we're like, nah,
that's okay, we agree, but we're still
holding firm, and, yeah, he was right.
you know.
Ang: know.
Mario: it.
Yeah.
We're still
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: that leads us into standings.
Currently, we're in 12th place,
and I insert expletive here.
Ang: Yeah.
Beep.
Mario: yeah, just, the top three have
just run away with the league right now.
Kansas City Current and Pride are both
tied at 28 in first and second, and
then the Spirit are right behind them
But, okay,
Ang: It's a lot of points.
Mario: let's take a breath,
let's take a breather.
In reality, we are only six
points from the playoff line.
Do I sound like a broken record
talking about the playoff line?
That's what we were talking about last
year also, but that's all we need.
Because once you get into playoffs,
it's a whole different beast.
We are only six points
off from the playoff line.
We still have a game in hand on
three of the teams that are above us,
that would put us into the playoffs.
So the main moral of the story
here is we need to stop losing.
We need every point we can get.
There's only teams above us going into.
The, the playoff line that we have
a game up on, Everybody else we're
going to be even on with them.
So it's or they also have a game in hand.
So like things can
change, things can shift.
Six points is only two games, but
Ang: Mhm.
Mario: they need to
Ang: A lot of other stuff has to happen.
Mario: Yes.
We're not quite at the halfway
mark that will be the next match
is going to be the halfway mark.
Basically the double header that
we have coming after this game,
we have three games in seven days.
we have Houston, then we're
going to play, Racing, and then
we're going to play Bay FC.
and Racing and Bay are the
kind of like midpoint games.
one's on one half of the
Ang: Mhm.
Mario: on the other half of the
season, running out of time.
it's, let's make this move, so
come on, Becky, come on, Tweed,
let's do this, we can do this, we
Ang: Let
Mario: still, please,
Ang: me break out my undetweetable shirt.
Mario: yes!
Ang: let's go,
Mario: Ah, I'm just thinking
more about the footy therapy
shirt now, on these days.
And thank you, Kay, for buying a
footy therapy shirt that you can
Ang: yeah.
Mario: at shop.
casualofc.
com.
Ang: And speaking of, we
haven't officially announced it
yet, but We have a pride mug.
Mario: Yes, we do, and it's a
beautiful little pride mug, and
Ang: Yeah,
Mario: one, we ordered one.
Kay should have gotten hers
Ang: she has her.
She texted me today.
Yeah, it looks great.
Mario: so yeah, if you want to have
a beautiful pride mug, with casual
FC on there, then go check out
our website and it's been put up.
It was silently put up just because
it's necessarily a thing that we have
to, it's not performative marketing.
It's going to stay on there.
No, it's going to be there forever.
So it's not just a
Ang: As I put it, your purchase
goes to supporting podcasters
in the LGBTQI plus community.
Mario: Yes.
Ang: Me.
Mario: And the allies.
And,
Ang: you.
Mario: I also wanted to
give a shout out to, Katie.
Katie messaged us, she is
a Casual FC listener from
Ang: Whoa.
Mario: yeah.
And she's supported the pod in multiple
ways, and she went to first NWSL
match, she went to the Gotham game.
let's, yay for Katie!
she made it to a
Ang: Thank you.
Mario: she made it to an ACFC game.
Wish the result would have been better,
what, Maybe the next time you get to
see them, it'll be a better result.
but congratulations on getting
to your first, in person game.
And
Ang: said she's from Boston?
Mario: yeah, I think she's going to
school out in Massachusetts right now.
Ang: she's still in
Massachusetts in a year or two.
Revamp Boston Breakers.
Let's go.
Mario: Yeah.
Ang: very excited about that team.
This is going to be bonkers.
Mario: right.
So let's preview the.
Next match, which we've got against
the Houston Dash again at Shell
Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Ang: All right.
The, the, as I stated on New Friends
podcast, Out of Houston, we Talked
to a couple Houston Dash fans about
the matchup earlier tonight, and
it's the Paige of it all, always.
I said, there's a Paige Nielsen
sized hole on our backline and in
our hearts, and I still stand by it.
Her defense is impeccable.
They now have another new
defender who's on par.
I just, I have so many talking points,
but I've said them all already.
I just, I want us to
complete in the final third.
I want us to pass with
intention and I want us to just,
just take it to the house.
Just effing go.
Mario: Yes.
Ang: Do you remember the feeling,
which will be one a year ago,
on Monday, when Becky had the
first game as interim head coach?
And we all collectively as a fan base
in BMO, we're like, who is this team,
Mario: yeah,
Ang: happened, what's going on?
I love it.
Let's keep it going.
Mario: And they
Ang: that.
Mario: And they kept it
Ang: It's been,
Mario: matches.
Ang: yes, I want that.
Give me that.
We have that.
Mario: She spoiled us.
She spoiled us by giving us a
glimpse of what we could have.
And then
Ang: Absolutely.
Mario: has taken it away.
Although I do still believe that
the tweet that we had last season
is there and the ideas are there.
I don't know why and I'm not savvy enough
in tactics or front office dealings or
anything like that to really understand
like, Hey, is this a Becky tweet issue?
Is this a office issue?
Is this a, sporting I know that
they, we just hired, like sporting
Ang: A new technical director.
Yeah.
Mario: like that.
Like all of those positions
are gobbledygook, names to me.
I don't understand what
each person does, honestly.
but.
I can't fully say that it, this
is like a Becky Tweet thing,
and I don't believe it is, but
where is the Tweet the Tweetness
of it all that we had from
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: we're coming up to, like you
said, the kind of one year anniversary
of just her taking over and kicking
ass, taking names, just, let's go.
what we need.
And.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: I'm hoping that's coming
sooner rather than later.
Ang: Absolutely.
same.
So the interesting thing too
about the Dash is they're in
the middle of a big overhaul.
New members of the front office,
new members on the coaching
staff, new players, new.
And it's a little rocky for them.
They also have three different
players out on maternity leave.
They've got somebody out with an SEI.
Let me see.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 other
people last week were out.
Mario: Jeez.
they're
Ang: So
Mario: lineup as much as we
Ang: yeah.
Yeah.
And I'm looking at our availability
report from last week and it's Kristen
and June, SEI situation, which, update,
everybody knows, I don't even know why
I'm saying it, but if for some reason
you live under a rock, Kristen, press.
was officially training
with the team today.
Not taking full contact, she did
warm up, she did drills, but it's
more than she's done in 760 days.
Mario: Yes.
Ang: welcome back CP.
I'm so proud of you.
Mario: Welcome back.
Ang: Yes, but we have a few other knocks.
Sarah Gordon's almost back.
I don't really know too much
about Meggie Doherty Howard or
Kay Jo or Cap, but we'll see.
Mario: I'm hoping we
see, Fair at some point.
I know she's really young and two, she
was playing for the Korean national team.
So maybe after the international break or
the Olympics or Korea and the Olympics,
Ang: I don't know.
Mario: but either way, if she is or
she isn't either way, summer's here.
Hopefully she gets to get
some minutes on the pitch.
Although at this point, without
being with the team for so long, it's
probably going to take a while for
her to get integrated, but either way.
I just want to see, one of the things we
talked with, the DASH podcast, they're
called Instant Ramen, and we will be
linking to that episode too if you want
to go watch it, was the idea that we
do have a team that's stacked in a way
where we do have a bench of starters, and
what was about that Tweedball last year
was the fluidity that any time we made
a sub, it's like not skipping a beat.
It just kept going.
Ang: Yeah,
Mario: This year has been like, subs
have been really weird times, they're
coming out weird points in the game,
they're, I just don't, and a lot of it,
like we said, line up triage, there's
been injuries, there's been maybe
people not 100%, whatever it may be.
But, yes, We need that.
We need that kind of like
Ang: right.
Mario: player, swap them out and
still have a class on the field.
what got a long list of dash
players that we need to keep an eye
Ang: I'm not going to talk about
all of them because half of them are
questionable, whether or not they'll play.
But just quickly for the DASH
players, Courtney Peterson, she
had a fantastic rookie season
in Orlando a couple seasons ago.
So a lot of times what happens with
rookies is that they have this fantastic
breakout season and then they chill.
It's like They settle in and they're
part of the system so they're not
as, oh my god, about everything.
It wouldn't surprise me if
she starts to pop off soon.
And that's like a cross sport.
Rookies, you have a
rookie of the year season.
Oh my God, it's the best player ever.
And the next season, you're just normal.
And then we've got Diana Ordonez,
who we talked about the last
game, who's just ridiculous.
Michelle Elosi, who's just so cool.
She, this team is so good.
Yuki Nagasato, they're, they have
so many good international players.
And then Jane Campbell, who's
National Team Keeper Extraordinaire.
There's a lot shifting
positively for Houston.
I just hope they can hold on to it.
They've won the Shield twice.
I don't know if they've
won the Shield or playoffs.
They've got two stars.
I know that much.
Mario: that means playoffs.
They
Ang: I'm like, it's American soccer.
I don't remember.
Mario: Unfortunately, the
shield doesn't give you a star.
It doesn't give you really
anything beyond the shield.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: Which, I liked M.
Wood's description of the cookie sheet.
Ang: The plate.
Yeah.
It's exactly what it was.
They have amazing players.
I really wanted to talk about
CeCe Kaiser, but she's been out.
So that's a bummer, but yeah,
they could pop off at any point.
Plus Paige, we are us.
Mario: Yes.
Ang: I'm just frustrated.
Mario: know we're frustrated, but
also, we're here to keep the positivity
Ang: Yes,
Mario: let's look at our players,
and who are we looking out for here?
Ang: I really want to talk about Maggie
Doherty Howard, but she's hurt, so I
want to give it a break, given that I
want to like, hype her up when we play.
And I really want to see
more of Kennedy Fuller.
Mario: Okay, so I want to
keep the positivity up.
I know we're in this kind of rut and,
that just means we can only go up, right?
Um if we keep losing,
we're basically plateaued.
we're, we are where we are.
no, I lied.
We can two more spots, but still not
Ang: We're gonna pretend that this is it.
Mario: Yeah.
Ang: this is the bottom of the barrel.
Mario: unfortunately this
was it like last year.
Last year
Ang: I know.
I know.
I don't want to think about that.
But we were there too.
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
And we were and okay.
So that's the bright side
is we were there last year.
And we turned the ship.
It can happen again.
looking forward, I think we can say is
let's see more of some of our talent that
really needs, I think, that time on the
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: we need Messiah Bright to
be more than this, late game sub.
and I love Syd, she's doing amazing, and
I know that it's basically Syd or Messiah,
but, you know what, at the bottom.
It's, let's try something.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: it.
Give it, two games.
and the thing is, don't try it for
a game, because that's not gonna
be a good, one is not a good,
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: of anything,
give it a couple games.
but let's see more of Messiah.
Let's see more of Fuller.
Curry's been killing it.
so let's give them the room.
Let's give them the run
and let's see what happens.
so I think really, we're probably
going to leave it at that, right?
Like it's just, I want to say us.
Talking points, players to watch.
It's let's watch our young
players and see what they can do.
Let's that they need.
Ang: Yeah.
I almost feel like we have
a starting gate full of.
of Kentucky Derby winning horses
and we open one gate at a time
Mario: yeah, there's
Ang: and then like maybe
another one and I'm like just
Mario: moment.
Ang: yeah let them cook just go
see what happens do something crazy
that's really what it is I think I
just want us to do something crazy
Mario: at this point, why not?
Ang: move M.
A.
up let M.
A.
play as a forward or an attacking
mid she'd probably love it
Mario: Yeah,
Ang: Something.
Mario: I
Ang: I don't know.
Mario: just let's switch it up and
let's switch it up in a smart way.
Not in the way where it was like.
Like last year, like we had June
playing in defense for some reason.
yeah, okay.
There was a reason, but still.
All right.
with that being said, our history
with Houston has been, a fairly blah
Ang: Even?
Mario: I wouldn't even call
it even it's Three draws.
We have
Ang: Yeah,
Mario: one loss against
Houston with three draws.
So
Ang: three came season one and
the earlier parts of season two.
Yeah,
Mario: so Yeah.
Alright, moving on.
It's almost the midseason.
Like I said, the next match, that,
the next two matches essentially are
the, Differentiators between first
half and second half of the season,
we want to do a mid-season check-in.
We had this on our list of episodes
that we wanted to cover this, year,
not fully realizing that it was, that
it would fall on the week, that we
have three matches, but we still want
to, do it and check in with everybody.
So we need your help.
what we did with the Season Recap episode
last year, is, send us your DMs, send
us your emails, yet, send us a voice
message, record it on your phone and
email it to us at casualfcpod at gmail
dot com, give us your thoughts of how
you feel midseason is going so far, if
we don't want to be negative, where we
think we could go maybe give us, one
or two points that you'd like to see,
Ang: I will say,
Mario: tweaked.
Ang: you send us something that's
really mean, It's not making the cut.
We don't do that here.
Am I frustrated with the team?
Am I stressed?
Yes.
But I still have so much hope.
Mario: Yeah.
and then I think it'll also be fun to
make this kind of like a mailbag thing.
Ang: Yeah.
Mario: So send us questions
that you have for us.
so honestly, just send us anything about
how you want to check in mid season,
how the team's doing, what your hope is.
Where the heck is KC Fair?
We can't answer that one 100%,
hopefully we have some, ideas
or just questions for us.
we'd be happy to send, answer them all in.
send any comments or questions you
have, or voice messages by Monday
the si by the Basically next Monday.
that's when we'll be recording, a little
mini episode and we'll be coming out
during the week in between, the two
matches hopefully we have a fun one.
let's make it fun everyone.
Ang: All right, everybody.
And just as a reminder, game
is on Saturday, June 15th.
We're playing the Houston Dash in
Houston at Shell Energy Stadium.
Kickoff starts at 6.
30 Pacific Time, and the game will
be streaming on ION as part of the
Saturday Doubleheader, and streaming
on iHeartRadio, so check it out.
Listen to Isaac and Tracey if
you can, watch it on TV, either
way you're in good hands.
There will be a watch party sponsored
by Angel City at High Tops in Los Feliz.
They're doing speedfriending again.
Their party starts at, at 530.
Again, kickoff is at 630, but you
might want to get there early because
right before that, LAFC is also
sponsoring a watch party there for
the men's game that kicks off at 430.
Get there early, make a
whole bunch of new friends,
Mario: just
Ang: have a great time.
Mario: Pride event basically and,
Ang: Pride Republic will
be there It's gonna,
Mario: Month.
Ang: yeah, it's gonna be a good time.
Hopefully, we get the win.
I hope LAFC and Angel City get the
win and it's just a freaking party.
Mario: yeah.
Ang: If you are there,
Mario: rest of the night.
Ang: tag us on Instagram.
We won't be there, but we will repost it.
we'll be there.
Let us help you.
And if you like what you hear and you
want to hear some more, hit the subscribe
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And you can check out casualfc.
com for all the podcast links.
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Engage, share it, like it,
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We've got some other stuff in the
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Make sure you tell a friend.
Guys, the team needs all
the luck we can send them.
Tell everybody about the podcast.
Tell everybody how great Angel City is.
Tell everybody how much fun you
have every time you go to a game.
Just talk about the team.
The more we talk about it,
the better the team does.
It's like Tinkerbell in Hook when she like
It's not doing so hot, you gotta clap,
Mario: clap.
Ang: you believe it, you
just gotta say it out loud.
Mario: Save Julia Roberts.
Ang: Alright everybody, thank you so
much for listening, this is a bit of a
long episode, but you hung in here thus
far, we appreciate it more than you know.
Happy Pride everyone!
Mario: Happy Pride, everyone.
Ang: Bye!
Mario: Bye.