Soccerwise | U.S. Soccer, MLS, NWSL

The final NWSL weekend of the regular season looms large with the entire table still undecided. David Gass and Jordan Angeli preview NWSL’s Decision Day weekend ahead with playoff berths, seeding and the NWSL Shield still up for grabs. New changes to the HIP rule and reactions to ESPN’s NWSL Anonymous GM survey yields interesting results.
The show caps off with a conversation with Columbus NWSL’s newly announced GM, Lucy Rushton. Lucy's first steps to building a club from scratch, what she learned at Bay FC, the next 18 months towards first kick, her old club Atlanta United joining the NWSL and where she hopes Columbus can push the NWSL towards.
00:00 - David and Jordan gather for the first time in a month
05:16 - New changes to HIP Rule
10:51 - Reactions to the ESPN NWSL Anonymous GM Survey
17:22 - Ballon d’Or Results and Reactions
24:20 - Decision Day Preview
29:46 - Gotham vs. Utah, Battle for the NWSL Shield
35:52 - San Diego vs. Bay FC
43:05 - Seattle vs. Orlando, The Fight for the final playoff spots
49:27 - Denver vs. North Carolina, Can Ashley Sanchez win MVP if NC doesn’t make the playoffs?
57:43 - The Rest of the Decision Day slate

01:04:39 - Lucy Rushton joins the show!
01:08:14 - First steps when building a club in expansion
01:11:37 - What Lucy has learned managing across MLS and NWSL
01:13:26 - How spending will go in the NWSL with mechanisms like the HIP rule
01:14:32 - Excitement over the training center
01:17:50 - What Lucy learned at Bay FC
01:20:02 - Mapping out the next 18 months towards first kick
01:24:22 - Lucy’s thoughts on her old club Atlanta United joining NWSL
01:25:49 - Where she hopes Columbus can push NWSL
01:28:10 - Close
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Nashville SC ran away with the Supporters’ Shield, and David Gass, Matt Doyle and Tom Bogert can’t say enough good things about how the club got there. And with the awards season approaching, they weigh who is leading the way for some of the biggest awards.
The guys break down the roster plan and coaching behind Nashville’s dominant season, whether the club passes the all-time points record, B.J. Callaghan or Yoann Damet for Coach of the Year and Lionel Messi’s MVP case. Plus, CF Montreal’s cup final where does the club go from here, and a playoff race in both conferences that is headed down to the wire.
0:00 Fantasy Football, Then Nashville
5:40 How Good is This Nashville Team?
15:20 Record Chase and Sustained Success
20:53 Coach of the Year: Callaghan or Damet
29:45 Messi and the MVP Ballot
33:26 Defender and Goalkeeper of the Year
37:35 El Trafico and the Galaxy’s Struggles
42:58 New England Beats Philly
44:47 Montreal’s Cup Final and What’s Next
49:37 Should Saputo Sell the Club?
55:17 Racing for the East’s Final Spots
1:04:32 Orlando’s Defense and the NYCFC Penalty
1:09:55 West Race: Galaxy, RSL and Portland
1:16:28 Staggered Kickoffs and the Apple TV Era

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.
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Jen Beattie was diagnosed with breast cancer on a Thursday and scored for Arsenal that weekend. She and host Susannah Fuller, both survivors, talk about how little she knew going in, early detection, and what she would tell someone newly diagnosed.
Beattie, a former Scotland international and now CBS analyst, remembers being diagnosed alone in Covid, then the lumpectomy and radio therapy that followed. Between two women in a club neither chose to join, the talks turns to whether the survivor label firsts and whether the fear around follow-up scans ever fades.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and early detection is the message both women come back to. Jen partners with Breast Cancer now and Novartis UK on self-checks and getting to know your body, and you can find them on Instagram.
Breast Cancer Now:
https://www.instagram.com/breastcancernow/
Novartis UK:
https://www.instagram.com/novartisuk/

0:00 Jen Beattie and the Survivor Label
6:31 Diagnosis at Arsenal During COVID
11:49 What Surprised Jen About Breast Cancer?
14:19 Self-Checks and Why She Speaks Up
16:41 Her Team Hears the News and Shows Up
19:36 Finding Joy During Treatment
23:29 Guilt and Avoidance With Loved Ones
25:59 Therapy for Spiraling Thoughts
31:14 How Much Football Did She Miss?
33:17 Scanxiety and Trusting Your Body Again
40:00 Life After Cancer
44:25 From Playing to Broadcasting at CBS
47:31 Advice for Someone Facing Breast Cancer
49:38 Early Detection and Her Partnerships

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 and Spotify and leave a rating or review. It helps more fans find the show.

What did St. Louis CITY SC have that the Columbus Crew didn’t in the Open Cup final? David Gass and Matt Doyle work it out from inside the stadium, and look back at where both clubs go from here.
The guys break down the roster blueprint behind St. Louis’ historic run, how their defensive grit slowed the Crew’s attack, and whether this trophy changes how elite players view the club. Plus, they look ahead to the high-stakes weekend matches as the MLS playoff race is coming down to the wire.
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 Apple Podcasts and Spotify and leave a rating or review. Its helps more fans find the show.
0:00 American Soccer Has Come a Long Way
5:33 Open Cup Legacy & Traveling Fans
11:40 St. Louis Grinded To A Trophy Without Its Stars
17:08 Courtois Too Cautious in the Final?
19:40 Crew Needs a Center Back, Midfielder
21:31 Front Office Behind St. Louis’ Run
25:48 Will Players Want to Join St. Louis?
28:48 Division Rivalries: Fun or Overkill?
30:55 War Stories from Open Cup Finals Past
36:05 The Playoff Line, Columbus Letdown Risk
43:43 Inner Circle: Where St. Louis Fits
51:53 Cavan Sullivan Starts vs. Mexico?

The USMNT depth chart list taking shape, but who can be trusted in a must-win game? David Gass and Brian Dunseth assess the current player pool, weighing form against potential and established options versus rising talent. Some choices are clear, but who earns the final spots? Then David and Kacey White build a projected USWNT 26-player roster for the 2027 World Cup, assuming the tournament started tomorrow. With qualifying ahead, injuries and tough decisions across the squad raise the stakes. Who makes the cut and who gets left out?
For the sharpest coverage of American soccer, we’ve got you covered:
https://linktr.ee/soccerwisehq