Soccerwise | U.S. Soccer, MLS, NWSL

In its first-ever postseason, what did Utah, a No. 7 seed, have that San Diego didn’t? David Gass and Jordan Angeli break down how each quarterfinal was won and lost and what it sets up, then try to fit a crowded Best XI as the award nominees arrive.
Along the way, they dig into Trinity Rodman and Clara Luvanga’s press and why Washington enters the semifinals as a heavy favorite. They discuss whether Kansas City’s extra-time penalty was deserved and why Gotham’s semifinal is moving to a 5,000-seat stadium. For the eliminated teams, the talk turns to Sophia Wilson’s free agency and Jess Fishlock’s retirement.
0:00 Intro, Semifinal Dates and Venues
3:46 McGlynn Leads Utah to First Playoff Win
13:51 Biggest NWSL Upset Ever?
16:34 San Diego: The Fallout
19:52 Rodman, Luvanga Dominate Portland
24:55 Spirit Signings and Back Line
29:40 Sophia Wilson Watch
32:28 Disputed Penalty Puts KC Through
38:47 Seattle Pushes, Gotham Survives
43:42 Reign: Life After Fishlock
45:50 How Can Utah Slow Down Washington?
52:38 Icahn Stadium Scramble
57:24 KC vs. Gotham: Who Has the Edge?
1:04:11 Semifinal Picks
1:05:01 Building a Best XI, Leaving Stars Out

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The regular season ended Saturday, and by Monday Toronto FC, NYCFC and Sporting Kansas City were all hiring. David Gass, Tom Bogert and Matt Doyle relive Saturday’s finales, from Philadelphia’s Sullivan brothers to Real Salt Lake’s clinch, then weigh who should fill those jobs and which clubs might follow, as news of Raphaël Wicky’s exit breaks mid-show.
Plus, they dig into what went wrong for Robin Fraser in Toronto and Pascal Jansen at NYCFC. Chris Wittyngham joins for a Golden Boot draft victory lap, Charlotte FC’s rally against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami gets its due, and playoff talk turns to Columbus Crew and New England before Best XI picks.
0:00 Toronto and NYCFC Firings, Watch Party
7:52 Sullivans Make Philly a Contender?
13:53 RSL Clinch, Galaxy Embarrassed
21:08 Charlotte Rally and Troll Messi
22:46 Chris Wittyngham: Golden Boot Draft
31:13 Preseason Over/Unders, Graded
35:05 Fraser Out and What Toronto Must Fix
45:41 TFC’s Next Hire: Who Fits Best?
49:29 NYCFC Reset Without Jansen
51:36 With Wicky Out, Where Does SKC Turn?
56:02 Too Many Openings, Too Few Candidates
1:02:52 Playoff Schedule and a Nashville Scare
1:07:14 Must-See Series: Crew, Revs, St. Louis
1:15:44 Orlando and Seattle Wild Cards

1:21:17 Scrap Comeback Player Award?
1:25:10 Best XI: Fullbacks, De Paul, Evander
1:31:27 Second and Third Teams, Plus Omissions
1:39:08 Want to Cover MLS or NWSL? Reach Out

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.
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Could the U.S. game get bigger without giving up its local, tribal fan culture? Rodger Sherman, the ex-Ringer writer who now runs his own sports newsletter, tells his old SB Nation colleague Susannah Fuller where he stands.
Along the way, he talks about tracking down the slowest athletes from small countries at the Rio Olympics. He calls the 48-team World Cup a money grab, even though it brought in his favorite story of the summer, Cape Verde. And he weighs the USMNT’s missed chance against Belgium, covering a USWNT expected to win and Nashville SC’s rise.
Subscribe to his newsletter, Sports! with Rodger Sherman: https://www.sports.cool 

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https://bsky.app/profile/rodger.bsky.social

0:00 Welcome Rodger Sherman
1:57 SB Nation Memories, Too Many Matches
5:01 Going Solo to Cover Every Sport
11:16 Rio’s Slowest Racers, 48-Team World Cup
15:32 Fandom Origins: FIFA 94, Korea-Japan 2002

19:21 Keeping a College Football Feel in MLS
24:30 Hull City, Thanks to Fetty Wap

26:19 World Cup Success and USMNT Letdown
32:55 Cape Verde: His Favorite Story

37:19 Premium Seats, Priced-Out Fans

39:55 USWNT: Expected to Win, Big Characters

43:54 Nashville SC’s Rise, His MLS Cup Pick



Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.
Watch, listen and follow everywhere: https://linktr.ee/soccerwisehq
Subscribe on YouTube and comment, or follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and leave a rating or review. It helps more fans find the show.

Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT squad for the quarterfinal against Haiti comes early in a new cycle, with real competition for places. David Gass, Matt Doyle and Brian Dunseth go through the group position by position: the thinking behind the key call-ups, how the pieces fit, and what the absences say about where the team is headed.

The attack discussion centers on Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Cavan Sullivan and Gio Reyna. Reed Baker-Whiting’s selection from Nashville shows Pochettino’s watching MLS and puts him in the left-back picture. The right back, midfield and goalkeeper pecking order follows, plus Malik Tillman’s best role. Then a Subs Bench on the snubs, USWNT prospects, the U.S.-Mexico fight for dual-eligible teams and the mailbag.
0:00 USMNT Call-Ups for Haiti
2:57 U-23 Link: Every Camp Matters
6:50 Balogun and Pulisic Back
9:25 Hall, Ellis, Sullivan Compete Up Front
13:02 Reyna: Playmaker and Resurgence

15:21 Cavan Sullivan to Start?
19:15 Reed Baker-Whiting’s Fit and MLS Respect

27:14 Right Back Depth Chart: Reynolds, Dest
30:11 Castañeda and Mehmeti in a Deep Midfield

36:42 Freese vs. Kochen vs. Schwake

40:41 Tillman’s Leverkusen Future, Best Role

46:36 Subs Bench: Miller and Turner Omitted

49:52 Bethune, San Diego Teens for USWNT

53:15 U.S. vs. Mexico Recruiting
58:19 Mailbag: Could Chara Have Saved 2018?
1:00:50 Top U.S. Crowds, Atlanta Home?

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.
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Subscribe on YouTube and comment, or follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and leave a rating or review. It helps more fans find the show.

Half of the MLS Western Conference playoff bubble is about to see their postseason dreams burst, and those already out have plenty to answer for. David Gass, Matt Doyle and Tom Bogert size up who’s best set for the final weekend. Then they dig into what sank each eliminated side and what has to change this offseason.
Six clubs fight for three berths: the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake face off, while the Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, Colorado Rapids and Minnesota United scoreboard watch. Obituaries follow for the clubs whose seasons are done, from a record-setting Sporting Kansas City to New York City FC and Red Bull New York’s rosters that promised more.

0:00 MLS Finale Show, Watch Party and Banter
7:06 Western Bubble, Most Crowded Since 2021
11:37 Galaxy at a Crossroads?
16:43 LA vs. RSL, Where It’s Won and Lost
22:00 Real Salt Lake: A Season Worth Saving?
27:41 Blame for Seattle’s Slide
34:29 Rapids, Timbers, Minnesota: Trust Them?
41:14 Nashville’s Record Chase, Seeding Races
47:30 Sporting KC’s Tank Job Debate
53:37 CF Montreal’s Ownership Question
57:54 D.C. United: A Roster Missing Pieces?
1:01:20 Atlanta’s Rebuild Cycle
1:05:53 Jim Curtin Starts Over in Austin
1:12:04 San Diego’s Next Move
1:18:31 Toronto FC: Big Spending, Same Attack?
1:24:19 NYCFC Fades, Jansen’s Job in Question
1:28:47 Red Bulls, Bradley and the Veteran Gap

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.
Watch, listen and follow everywhere: https://linktr.ee/soccerwisehq
Subscribe on YouTube and comment, or follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and leave a rating or review. It helps more fans find the show.