On this week’s edition of USL All Access, hosts Mike Watts and Devon Kerr dig into a classic rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Final between the Charleston Battery and Louisville City FC and assess how high the ceiling is for the Battery in 2024 as the side shoots for its fifth league title.
Mike and Devon also look at the struggles El Paso Locomotive FC is experiencing this season and the potential future of Head Coach Brian Clarhaut, look ahead to this Saturday’s 12-game slate, and take stock of the three other winless sides so far in the campaign in Rhode Island FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
Tune in live to SiriusXM FC (Ch. 157) every Tuesday night for new editions of the show.
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[Music]
bringing you inside the USL championship
in League one sar’s got their
Mar he’s been knocking on the door he
knocks it down diving into all the
biggest stories and top headlines you
are ripping your roaring today this is
USL all access it’s almost impossible to
recreate that level of magic with Mike
Watts and Devon cerr on serus
xmfc welcome everyone to a new edition
of USL access on Sirius xmfc on this
Tuesday night we look ahead to the open
cup back to Charleston’s well dominant
at least 45 minutes against Louisville
and an important result we’ve got still
handful of teams unbeaten handful of
teams without a win lot to chat about
including uh what’ll be a a heartwarming
story uh in Sacramento as well Devin
Kerr neemt McConnell as always Mike
Watts Dev uh is that an upset pick
you’ve got on your hat for this upcoming
open cup week honest question before we
go any further cuz I know we’re going to
get into things is it really an
upset well the way El Paso is playing
the way un Omaha are playing probably
not let’s just say I’m not showing
favoritism because I’m picking them to
beat El Paso I’m showing favoritism
because I’m from there yeah and I expect
them to beat El Paso important
distinction very good no no no no yeah
uh the boys back in Action tomorrow
excited about that the boys who know
Maha oh I’m making owl noises I didn’t
say no I know that but also I thought
you were pulling the we have a producer
who any time that a person in his
conversation references a team as we he
kind of gives you Flack for it yep where
do you fall into that conversation by
the way do you think people can say we
or no you have to be paid by said Team
you have to be paid by set team okay so
if you’re a person who’s born and raised
in the Bronx right right and all you’ve
ever known is baseball specifically the
Yankees you don’t say we I wouldn’t say
we but if you but if you’re a person who
if you’re a person who was born in
Queens and you’re a Mets fan but you
work for the Yankees at security you can
say
we yeah okay I think I think you and I
align in
life almost to Perfection on every
subject almost
almost in a lot of areas we’re very
similar CA obviously is still a sore
subject for both you and I I think we
don’t we disagree on this one if
Liverpool Flames out this week in
Champions League you would say we lost
or you would say Liverpool lost I think
it depends on the context I if I would
say they I might use we it just depends
like we they it’s my it’s my club just
like it’s everybody else’s Club
oh all right I didn’t say I didn’t say
we when it came to Union Omaha I’m not
showing favoritism no but in the context
of this conversation you’re definitely
we are playing tomorrow night in the
open Cup oh all right here we go Dev uh
let’s start with this it’s actually
somewhat of a
retraction it’s actually Eagle Rare that
that we were definitely not drinking in
the Press Box no and I was saying
Angel’s Envy right yeah that’s on me it
it’s just it’s unfortunate cuz I
followed you into the hole and I knew
better and for sure and to be fair I I
Mr bourbon I will take full
responsibility for it I was so excited
just about the prospect that you and I
were going to get to share said nectar
together MH I was overwhelmed by
greatness you and I were both very tired
too and traveling a ton and literally
about what 17 18 minutes after that game
was done we were in a car driving to
Cincinnati to catch a flight yeah sorry
to the Purple People I guess is what I’m
getting that 100% and I we owe them one
now yes probably more than one but you
know yeah we’ve got a tab uh let’s let’s
talk about it uh Louisville of course we
spoke last week uh ironically of course
our game on CBS Sports Network first
game on that Network for USL coincided
with the Airing of this show so we
didn’t get a chance to talk all that
much about Charleston and Louisville
lest you know there be three goals in
the first half and all of a sudden uh
everything would look a little bit silly
by comparison lo and behold here we are
there were four goals in the first half
uh it finishes 3-2 in favor of
Charleston uh Danny Cruz made it
abundantly clear he he essentially
called it an unacceptable first half
performance there was a feeling that the
second half was improved But ultimately
uh Charleston sellout crowd Eastern
Conference Final rematch I think there’s
still a giant chip on their shoulder I I
don’t know that it’s just us you I don’t
know if there’s enough National Talking
Heads but I I get the feeling they were
well aware that were probably being
short changed relative to Louisville’s
early
dominance um and they went out and
kicked Louisville’s butt all over the
field for the first 45 minutes and then
saw it over the line it’s a very
impressive performance I would agree
with you I would also say that in terms
of being short changed
respectfully who had they really played
up until that point in time number one
number two I never I never said oh this
team isn’t going to let’s see what
happens let’s see what we knew they’d be
good we knew they would be good they
hadn’t really played anybody let’s let’s
remember that okay in terms of regular
season they played North Carolina no I
understand a couple of these are on the
road but they played North Carolina me
Oakland me Miami I I see stuff for them
in the future and they’ve definitely had
their struggles we’re going to talk
about their obliteration against the
Tampa Bay rowdies at least from a score
line and then Rhode Island so New Mexico
stting there they didn’t really have a
ton of competition that would make you
go wow there for real the New Mexico
game for sure I thought was was very
impressive and yeah they showed up I
think short changing is an interesting
use of words not knocking it’s my choice
yeah yeah yeah but they were incredible
for the first 45 minutes truly
incredible here’s where I’m
stuck Danny Cruz the head coach of
Louisville makes all the changes at
halftime right he made five going into
the game and then he took two of them
off right at half yeah correct took two
of them off right at half they were
destroyed in every sense of the word of
what what the first 45 minutes looked
like the backline was too spread out
there was no Midfield whatsoever between
Carlos
Mogel I just like to say it that way
because we’ changed it and Mogel sounds
so much better it’s not it could be
could be think about how many players
changed their names he he was a child if
you were going to change your name what
would it change to what would the
pronunciation be watz Mike watz yeah
would I be more interested in changing
my first name or second name important
note I’ll call Devon and I’m the kind of
schmuck in the car will hold down the
button and say call Devin Kerr nice and
then she’ll say calling Devon Kerr oh
she’s Devon Devon
Devon both upward syllables
Devon Devon that’s a weird one that
people say you’ve been called car a lot
car and care don’t really they don’t
sting like the nostrils as much as as
Devon yeah Devon Devon I digress uh
first half was terrible it’s not even
close it was
horrific where I’m going with this is
Are we more
impressed by
Charleston playing
that
well against so many
different positions that had really yet
to be seen by Louisville and let’s just
say this four straight games Louisville
did not make a single change and then
they made five the lineup for sure and
and and when they made changes down then
down the stretch game was pretty much in
hand for the most part in all the games
that they had played in so and I’m not
short changing Charleston I was very
clear on air how good they were
but what does that game look like if
it’s full strength for Louisville this
is what we’re all going to get excited
about the next time they play right um I
don’t know it’s interesting to me
because Charleston and Ben Perman and
Lee Cohen and everybody involved in the
organization very clear about the
quality that they have within the roster
which I agree with their depth is
certainly better than previous years I
wouldn’t call it super deep though it’s
it’s not a big roster what is it 19
players so Louisville we’ve talked about
their depth and guys in their inability
get on the field well those guys were on
the field and they really struggled so
it’s kind of like okay
maybe maybe the margins are a lot
smaller than we thought they were for
Louisville City give them Credit in the
second half they were much better
charson certainly lost a bit of steam
until they took over at the end it I
mean it’s there’s no question in my mind
that that’s going to be two playoff
teams and that they’re going to be two
teams at top of the Eastern Conference
Mike I want to ask you a question though
before we talk about anything
else what is Charleston’s ceiling given
what we saw in that game
title they take it a step further are
they the number one team they can
be here here’s the thing and like I just
spoke to Ryan Martin ahead of tomorrow’s
game with loud we were discussing how
the open cup ravaged them yeah they were
the first month and a half last year
team we went wow all right
um and then like six weeks without a win
because they lost like four guys in that
open cup run correct and the reason I
say that Charleston gets the benefit of
there’s far fewer midweek games the
season is as stretched as it’s ever been
they get to come in a week later in the
open cup the most games they can play
there is four the the likelihood is two
or
three so the
reality is when you’re when you lack
depth their Academy is just getting off
the ground I would imagine yeah I I mean
that there’s a ton of local talent there
they just don’t wear Charleston kits as
Academy guys Bingo and to be and so that
people are clear around the country
whether it’s USL MLS non- denominational
if we want to go the religious route
there are a lot of teams in the US that
do not have Academy teams whatever you
want to call it until 14 15 16 17 s so
yeah so a lot of these organizations
they kind of have these feeder clubs
that they work closely with they monitor
players some of them come in as Lanes up
and age groups things like that but they
don’t have them that young and they
don’t start till like 15 or 16 that’s a
very common thing yeah I I I’m just
saying there’s no reinforcements that
are going to come from there you aren’t
going to be able to steal any minutes
out of that um it it comes down to
health is Aaron Malloy healthy like
already you’ve got Striker issues in
terms of health so MD Myers you don’t
have a logical backup right now if he
goes down what happens then yeah and and
yeah I I do want to say and credit to
the group that was on the field we
didn’t still Jake see Jake laava to the
end but they have already had their fair
share of injuries uh Jake laava coming
back two and a half to three weeks
dealing with the flu I know he picked up
minutes but nowhere near 90-minute game
Fitness and Ben P was like look I’m not
going to cry about it we got a job to go
do but they were even short-handed right
so you got Louisville full team battery
short-handed their best 11 is lit it up
love what I saw at MD Myers by the way I
told you he’s he’s gonna be great in
this league I told you and I’m put it
this way I take stock out of the
game I’m already hoping they play in the
Easter Conference Final on a I was like
can they play on a neutral field that
would be awesome I would love that they
were it great it was great great
atmosphere great game yeah the only
thing I’m gonna say is is Louisville can
lose four starters right and I I think
they will
survive Charleston loses four of their
best 11 to 15 guys the the backfill
there is going to be a substantial step
down L will can survive that Charleston
can it’s certainly I mean look we’re
talking we’re talking about one of the
best starts in club history and Brian is
not on the field right right so to your
point I I think it’s very specific when
it comes to Charleston battery for
instance like if you lose Aaron Malloy
you have a massive problem
massive if you lose Amilia waza or Chris
Allen I’m concerned I’m less concerned
because I do think they can fill the
gaps and also then we’re talking about
the length of time I know we’re getting
down into the dull drums here about what
could happen with these teams but that’s
just the excitement that I have for both
clubs because as you and I see everybody
around USL Championship I’m probably
super excited about four or five teams
right now two of them in the east it’s
Louisville and Charleston yeah all right
Dev uh couple of headlines to hit real
quick Sebastian Sanchez has joined FC
Tulsa which means he’s going to go play
for his dad he wasn’t going to get time
at Louisville City the way things are
going right now um you jump in you don’t
see an amateur team in the first round
you get Greenville in the open cup you
aren’t going to get minutes now uh I
love this Christian Nava is probably
back uh could be this week in open cup
from a torn ACL I don’t know how long
it’s going to take for him to look like
Christian Nava again but I mean that kid
was on fire two years ago and then just
had his whole season ripped away last
year yeah played 15 minutes against
Miami first game of the year and he’s
done so I’m super excited to see him
back I’m excited to see how Eric quill
uses him Christian Nava you know you
want to play him in that inverted
outside Winger on the outside that kind
of tucks into those little half channels
play on the half turn he’s so good you
can play him at the 10 you know if they
if they change formally you want to play
him on the wing in a three you know
false nine really really good I actually
would go a step further Mike and say
that there’s a ton of pressure on him
now because he’s no longer the
17-year-old kid that is an academy
prospect that people are looking around
going he’s coming up through the ranks
he’s coming off a big injury right off a
year to your point to close out 2022
which saw him in my opinion I think you
would probably agree pretty decent
numbers played 16 games one included a
playoff game two goals two assists it
was coming off just five appearances a
year prior he’s 20 years old he’s going
to be 20 or 20 yeah he’s 20 years old
he’s going to be 21 in
September four years between when he had
a lot of noise about his name to now
being a pro you got to go out and make a
statement he needs to make a statement
because this kid this kid can do stuff
man honestly I believe in his talent I’d
like to see his physical side grow a
little bit but if he can if he can make
some noise
promise you it’s not going to be the
we’re not going to hear his name very
long in the USL Championship if he can
be consistent and show us what he truly
is capable of and I’m very intrigued to
see what a year in the wait room does
yeah you’re working on your knee but you
can also build yourself a little bit
during that time yep uh Dev uh couple
things before we had to break let’s
start with this Tampa Bay throttled
Miami 52 that was the game on Thursday
last week Tampa uh 24 Shots it was at
the the soccer stadium down in Miami Cal
Jennings brace RT AA scores I mean dream
come true right but who maybe did you
learn more about the rowdies with their
five goals or Miami getting a bit of a a
USL lesson early I’m saying neither
because I thought the defending on both
teams was horrific prolic it was pretty
bad and that’s probably being kind D
canson on the backline had a shocker he
was all over the map and I felt bad for
him because I know what he’s capable of
and it just transitional defending for
both teams was bad you know there was
one there was a double save in the first
half by Jordan far where I watched him
hesitate he should have come and get it
in general I think Frank Lopez was the
one coming up through the middle but I
watched him hesitate made the save but
then the recovery save was even better
and you kind of just looked around going
where’s the defensive help where’s the
pressure how does the guy who bursts in
between the back line Lopez get the
first shot off get the recovery down in
the corner cut back across still get the
rebound off mhm and it was even worse
for Miami FC nothing they were poor
goals bad defending I can’t wait to see
what what these guys are capable of I
know we’ve said that a couple of times
cuz I’ve been more disappointed in what
I’ve seen this year than I have been
excited about uh Dev let’s close with
two stories on Sacramento first of all
they’ve acquired a a forward on Loan in
in the in the family right huttersfield
Town Karen Phillips so Sacramento owner
is the huttersfield owner chairman CEO
Kevin Nagel the quote from him we think
he’s talented think he’s good for the
Republic the loan is an example of how
we will continue to develop synergies
both on and off the
pitch
fantastic have have that back and forth
I if if you’ve got the money to do that
you know I was just chatting with
someone about a club they’re involved in
over in England who was telling me like
it’s like $160 million to own a low tier
Premier League club and then you know if
you own a team here you create I mean
we’ve seen it in Miami we’ve seen it um
you know with without an ownership stake
and a bunch of other places um Orange
County comes to mind it’s great yeah and
I would say for Kieran Phillips he just
needs an opportunity of regular minutes
we have this discussion a lot but
talking about the system the profile a
player a nine wants to be up top can
play him behind good diagonal runs both
Wings also the way that Sacramento wants
to play get him out the continued
evolution of of the USL Championship the
relationships the opportunities players
going both ways this is a win-win for
everybody involved all right before we
go to break I I want to tell you a
little bit about roro Lopez never heard
I think yeah I think think people at
this point know his story pretty well
not just because he’s been around but
because of the games and the level that
he’s played over the years born in
guadalahara raised in Santa Barbara
California he signed with chieus USA in
2005 so we’re talking about now his 20th
professional season he bounced around
MLS for a handful of years then he
landed in Sacramento he he became a
legend there in just two short years so
there’s the Miracle at Bonnie uh putting
the the star above the crest in their
expansion season uh that performance
ultimately takes them to Liga mchis he
goes to Mexico for a handful years
returns to the US he’s in his mid-30s
inspires the quailes ultimately to a run
to the 2022 open Cup Final there’s a
prevailing Theory from some Talking
Heads he seems like he’s running out of
steam and yet he never does I say all
this to say that his playing
accomplishments are Beyond doubt make
him one of the best stories in USL in my
10 years around the league but the
impact that he’s made that we hear about
that that isn’t always public is even
more substantial especially in
Sacramento where he spent about a
quarter of his career at this point but
what I really want to tell you is about
a different row Lopez Roman Lopez
10 years old well his dad was playing
for La Blues back in 2013 he was born he
had aortic
stenosis and in about one month from
today he will undergo surgery to either
repair or replace his aortic valve these
players don’t make an unbelievable
amount of money the highest paid guys in
the league somewhat comfortable but this
isn’t like hitting the lottery um
ultimately he might end up being a
spitting of his dad this guy played
already at 10 years old for saman soccer
club in the State Cup Final earlier this
year there’s a GoFundMe to try and raise
money for the Lopez family they
surpassed their $20,000 goal in short
order Luis Felipe put it together
midfielder for the team who essentially
said Rodrigo is never going to ask for
this but ultimately someone had to there
was someone who anonymously gave $5,000
Hercules Gomez you may remember that
roro was an interview subject on
football America’s earlier uh in the
open cup run donated $1,000 let go
fundme.com
Romans DHE heart- surgery and Dev I
don’t know how much you have to add on
this but I I know at least from my end I
hope that heart health park welcomes
back a very healthy heart uh in just
over A month’s time when when Roman’s
able to get back friendly reminder that
this goes beyond sport right and I would
just say that you said everything so
eloquently and all I would add to it is
that anything anything helps and he’s
just a kid he’s just a child and looking
to to help continue his dream in another
way and his dad’s trying to help make it
happen and he’s very fortunate that he’s
got such a great father yet alone that
there are so many people outside of that
fatherhood that
relationship that is a Brotherhood that
want to see him have the opportunity to
help his son credit to Luis Felipe
credit to to the Sacramento Republic
family and hopefully everybody out there
can just chip in even if it’s just a
couple of bucks at the time we are
recording this
$28,988 by 240 donations if you love the
game in this country um and you
appreciate the the greatness of of sort
of a lower division story becoming a
division one Mexican Story I mean what
what an awesome tale it is for Rodrigo
and uh wishing all the best to to his
family and his son over this next month
uh when we come back we take a look at
you guessed it US Open Cup match week
when we return on all access let’s get
back to USL all access on Sirius xmfc
with Mike Watts and Devin Kerr welcome
back to USL all access everybody a very
happy Tuesday if you miss any part of
the show it’s available on the USL
YouTube page with video tomorrow it’s
also available on the Sirius XM app uh
Dev for what it’s worth this is not my
usual backdrop
however I do sort of feel like a coach
where I had to wipe off the entire board
so that you wouldn’t see lineups and how
many offices do we walk into when we
head out on the road where it’s like 19
transfer targets and their full depth
chart and it’s kind of like yeah can’t
look at that the good news is is that
conversation because of trust and the
developing of those relationships has
changed over the years it used to be I
don’t want to talk to them then it was
they’re not allowed in my office then it
was don’t look over there now it’s just
I know you see it we’ll talk about it
off air yeah yeah uh was it Charleston
where they had um jlc on the board and
we is that rowdies it was the rowdies it
was the rowdies and it was the 2021
final they were already doing work for
2022 and I remember sitting there and I
texted Lee Cohen who was then you know
the night and shin GM the rowy GM the
night and shining armor next to Neil
Collins the head coach of the rowes and
I remember texting him and I going jlc
and he goes who told you said no I saw
the big board he goes no chance you’re
getting
it about 20 minutes from by I go you
getting Jake
laava let’s just say that um we shared a
nice beverage together but he wasn’t
happy that I figured it
out we we we haven’t been back in the
office since that’s not true but you
know was that a Scottish beverage
uh it was not iron Brew no okay
different Scottish bage and when I was
with Neil Collins we actually joked
about that situation we were actually
onto the German bubbly nice yeah nice
good times all right it is open Cup
match week uh games have already begun
I’m actually calling one as this show is
airing so that’s two straight weeks two
places at once uh I’m calling Louisville
Greenville tonight uh it’s worth noting
Detroit city Michigan you want to talk
about like stinky smelly games uh smoky
uh look all the adjectives are true this
Stars owner is a clown bro it do you
know what it takes for me to say man
Detroit keep laying it on thick they
deserve it do do you know what that
takes I mean it’s unbelievable this
dude have you’ve seen the meme where
it’s like here’s Bobo the Clown he is uh
professional clown School trained and
done this for 20 years
that that’s this guy it’s unbelievable
the letterhead the video in a dark room
like what are we doing what when when
was the letterhead that went viral that
was the we were in a smoky smelly
whatever environment what game was that
who were they playing it was Detroit it
was at Detroit Detroit yeah the stinky
smelly Derby just making sure yeah that
was that was Next Level by the way what
are the odds we’re going to see Justin
maram again in Midfield tonight for the
Michigan stars look admittedly love that
yeah so awesome so awesome yeah the
owner is
uh he has been the owner he has been
head of PR and comms he he’s he’s not
only a client he’s the owner he’s not
only the president he’s a client um I’ve
kind of feel bad for his kids who are
also involved in the organization who
kind
of rumor has
it that both of them across the pond
were offered contracts with clubs that
will remain nameless at this point in
time and that daddy wasn’t happy with
the terms and he yanked them out to
bring them back
here with no affiliation or contract to
any club
whatsoever and now I think they’re still
with the
Stars uh yeah it’s not a good look not a
good look whatsoever actually I know I
know I think it’s Steven I know one of
them is for sure Ste I know Steven is
like 100% he’s there I’m not sure where
the other brother is um and I feel bad I
do uh Detroit and Michigan that’s a big
game tonight uh Charlotte and Rhode
Island intriguing in part because you
know Jeff’s ball uh against Rhode Island
I I don’t know a better way to put it
like it it’s enticing but it’s also uh
fairly tight sometimes is that an upset
or no
Island hasn’t won a game yet I’m not
sure I’m betting on
him is a draw against Bob Lily feel like
a
win a draw against Bob Lily yeah uh no
it feels like a like like you gave Bob
exactly what he wanted from the game I
was just saying yeah we still not a bad
result no it’s not uh if if you’re Road
Island uh that’s one you should have but
they do have to go on the road which I
don’t Envy uh and then Oakland elero the
late
game it took the San Francisco Chronicle
to put out that demor Benson is actually
Jerry Benson’s brother spelled
completely differently bangston and
Benson correct right but the sick to my
stomach it’s so obnoxious how I don’t
know how this happened how does this
happen which is funny CU you and I
watching it’s like we talk them up we
talk them up up we talk him up we’re
like oh man he played at motagua that’s
a big Club yeah the club his brother
played at and then and then you see him
like people make the comparison they’re
like oh yeah it’s the same bloodline
they’re like well that makes sense
they’re basically they’re basically
twins so much sense profile the way they
move everything right unless there’s
something I’m missing that dude should
be on a league one or a championship
roster even if you’re taking a flyer
yesterday why are we spelling our last
name differently
I I I couldn’t tell you is it possible
and the answer is no yeah that anybody
missed a letter registering him no
because you have to have an ID positive
yeah I’ll say this US immigration has
not typically had the best record on on
adequately writing out names going back
to Ellis
Island you’re Assuming he’s an
immigrant uh could be an international
uh
yeah yeah he would still have his own
license he would still have his own ID
from his foreign country and his
passport I yeah I guess I’m just saying
I mean I’m with you that US immigration
could have totally gotten it wrong but
unless he’s on a green card even if he’s
even if he’s on bro if he’s just on a
90day just visiting he’s playing in the
open cup that’s the greatest story I’ve
ever heard by the way it absolutely is
it’s probably not allowed for the bylaws
we should look into that but that’s the
that’s a warning it’s 100 what’s a bylaw
100%
um I love the traction that LFO is
getting it’s amazing and finding out you
can’t get a jersey because they cost too
much to make for a small quantity and
everyone’s like no we’ll buy if they
pre-ordered 500 they’d be gone
right oh easily I I think 500 is a small
number right I think 500 is a very small
number I texted um
Santiago
Lopez after the game and I was like hey
man yeah sorry thank you for putting
that identifier out there hey bud um you
know again appreciate the time earlier
you know such a great opportunity to get
the chance to cover you Mike and I were
so grateful you and I were obviously on
the call together we were so grateful by
the way if you guys ever decide to start
making jerseys let me know I had about
20 or 25 people reach out asking if they
could get one of the jerseys they are
missing a massive opportunity here yeah
get a sponsor have them be the backer
tell them they can have 5% 10% whatever
you could be turning jerseys left and
right in this situation I I agree I
think it would be shortlived because it
would wait next open cup yeah I don’t
disagree and put it this way win the
first round okay win the second round
okay they win the next round like if
they go win at Oakland my God they could
they very well could I think they’re
very more than capable of winning this
game I know that would send poor Joseph
malfa into another Stratosphere which by
the way he’s gonna catch a stray right
now I want to be clear here now he’s a
league guy I respect that and I say Joe
would go into another Stratosphere
because he likes Oakland he’s kind of
like the default Oakland guy he’s
utilizing a lot of their broadcast so in
his tweet that he put out welcome to the
third round fun pair of matchups tonight
with his broadcast partner he names the
two games Detroit Michigan renew the
Rivalry I don’t think the Rivalry needs
renewing I think it’s just a rivalry so
that’s number one number two and he says
the times of the games Oakland vers
tournament Darlings alha elito open and
close parenthesis The Roots eliminated
alaro in 2023 that’s showing favoritism
I do not appreciate it and it is
unnecessary to be included in the tweet
that that that’s I mean no you don’t do
it you didn’t do it for any other team
why did you include it for Oakland but
you included that the first game was a
rivalry you just said it was unnecessary
to say so they put one qualifier on
each you know a good play byplay loves
to stir the pot you know we’re just I’m
gonna have a word with young Joseph yeah
uh their games on Wednesday too uh I I
made a reference to
betting all right let’s dive in so
Richmond plays lowen believe it or not
both in Virginia they played twice in
preseason this year they’ve never played
each other in in a competitive
competition Lowden in same time Richmond
went to League One open cup Lowden
wasn’t capable until last year of
playing um in open cup all right first
time first time for everything hopefully
it’s memorable uh Oman El
Paso rot r
I’m I am
nervous I’m nervous for whom El Paso
who’s more pressure on El pass truly El
pass a million per you think so a
million percent and they go to Omaha
brutal I am I was going to say you have
to go on the road I the last person and
you and I talk about this all the time
I’m the last person to lobby for someone
losing their job and I’m not going to do
it right now I want to phrase the
question though does the result in open
cup for Brian Clare how have any impact
on his job in El Paso and what’s going
wrong there I don’t know that they’re
going to pull the trigger based on
anything that happens on Wednesday but
it’s one of those it’s not gonna help
him I did a college basketball game I
think it was like
2016 and the game ended and it was forom
against UMass LOL and if you know
anything about UMass LOL or forom for
that matter not good Ford and better
recently ergonomics my guys um
it was like teen 350 in kenpom out of
like 352 yeah can’t you paid 50 Grand to
get them in the building and they lost
and I saw the ad after that game and
that was the first time it was clear to
him there was a change to coming yeah
and that’s what this does it
destabilizes everything when you are 05
and one and you lose to a lower division
team El Paso players if you like your
coach better flip and show it on
Wednesday night you may not have your
coach much longer get it together get
your head out of you know what
and you and I have seen them play some
good football mike yeah and and it is
that’s why this is so
shocking you want to talk home and away
like we’ve discussed they’ve played so
many home games already and and haven’t
been able to get the results no they
toasted a third of their schedule
already and and it doesn’t get easier by
the way they they on the weekend Mike
they got to play the
rowdies they got to travel to Al Lang so
you’re you’re in a a
situation where you haven’t gotten a
point just one point on the Year by the
way since March 13th it was at home
against montere Bay good point I might
add yep you you’ve lost both home and
away to the following teams Louisville
Vegas both W nothing one nothings New
Mexico Oakland both 32s
figure it out figure it out quick
because this is going to go south for a
lot of people not just the coach if you
guys don’t turn a corner I hope they do
I hope I I hope they at least have a
good showing some of their performances
haven’t been that great I don’t want
them to beat Omaha because it’s my
hometown team but I do want to I do want
to see them get better I I really do
yeah quick quote on that from Brian
Clare Hout after the loss to Oakland he
said it was the complete opposite
performance of New Mexico last week
where we had a lot of energy and even
saying that we were still up to one and
you give up two goals in five minutes
for a second week in a row quote we’re
losing games by one goal every single
week so I need to look at myself in the
mirror something’s not right
here uh here’s the other Game Dev I’m
just G to throw this out there Memphis
against Miami United I’m not putting any
money on this game I don’t know that
anyone’s going to be allowed to put any
money on this game you have to be a real
degenerate to do it in the first place
but if you did last time around and you
bet on Miami United turns out rumor
pretty penny and you did all right I’m
just going to throw this at you
everyone’s going but you’re betting on
yourself okay why who’s to say the other
team didn’t give you 20 grand to go bet
on yourself
too it it it’s a slippery slope there’s
a reason you don’t bet in your sport
okay there that like I I I know this
sounds crazy to people I work for an NBA
team and I work for an NFL team they’re
tracking this stuff 100% okay I I even
if I’m betting in tangential places
there’s an understanding that it’s so
intertwined and interconnected that once
you start making it look in any way like
this could
be thrown week to week all of the sudden
the entire concept of sports loses its
value so like everyone’s like oh but
they bet on themselves
okay why aren’t they going to bet on
themselves this week is someone else
going to go bet on them to lose and and
take money on the side like I’m not
claiming any of that actually happened
I’m just saying like there’s a reason
there are rules about this and going
forward in the open cup they’ve never
had to worry about this in the bylaws
they will ensure there’s no black sock
Scandal that’s all who needs a result
more Memphis or El Paso just so that
everybody understands El Pas has one
draw in all of their performances this
year Memphis has one win they and
they’re coming off a 2-1 against Lowden
on the
weekend yeah in terms of uh Team I think
it’s I think it’s El Paso but go ahead
it’s El Paso Memphis isn’t far behind no
not far behind and and I do feel for
step glass who comes in I like him as a
coach had pretty much all of his talent
Cherry Picked by a ton of
coaches short Changed by certainly the
Charleston B of the East yeah and it and
it only serves to remind you what Ben
Perman was able to do there with that
budget you’re welcome and that lack of
support and all of a sudden we’re back
to Memphis in 2019 yep and I regrettably
I think it was a lot more about the
coach then than it is
now you’ve got the same systemic
problems all right when we come back
quick look Ahad to week seven in the
championship it’s next on USL All Access
giving insight to all the biggest
moments in championship and League one
this is USL all access on Sirius xam FC
with Mike Watts and Devin Kerr welcome
back to USL all access everybody happy
Tuesday you miss ain’t part of the show
guess what you can still watch it it’s
on the SiriusXM app to hear tomorrow it
is on the USL YouTube page to watch
tomorrow with Devin Mike let’s preview
some of the action upcoming uh coming
attractions it might be all 24 teams are
playing in about a 12-h hour stretch the
matches will start at 4 p.m. Eastern run
till after midnight uh 12 games all on
Saturday it’s going to be great uh all
the matches this week are on ESPN plus
uh Hartford and San Antonio is our
Serius xmfc match of the week it airs
Saturday 5:00 pm Eastern Time right here
uh Dev couple games to watch that that
at least I’m intrigued by the the first
game actually that afternoon is is
intriguing to me I don’t know that
Oakland is the team that’s going to snap
Detroit and their perfect 40 and0 start
but I I do know it’s sort of
been to this point Detroit handling
their business and doing so rather
effectively this is another game where
they’re supposed to handle their
business and do so
effectively Detroit’s efficient I talked
about Elvis am Mo and what he’s capable
of in the nine you know there are
injuries coming through that team right
now they’ve got better control this has
always been about goals for this team
for Detroit city in years past or their
inability to produce them we had this
discussion in the the Louisville
Charleston game Mike Detroit City over
their first two seasons of existence
have
averaged
0.75 goals per game
four and in their first four this year
they’re at
1.74 so almost a goal per game
difference that’s all it is we know that
they can defend we know they’ve got one
of the best and most hostile
environments at home at the key mhm and
and that’s all that this is going to be
I I could see Oakland come in there I’m
actually looking at a different game to
be honest um I know we were discussing
Oakland roots and giving Joe malfa a
hard time I I’m looking at the the Tulsa
Charleston
game Tulsa’s interesting man
like we discussed before if if they
would be bought in to
you know players would be bought in
right they look like to being there they
look like it now they they were Valiant
against Z on the weekend who they’ve
never beaten by the way in 13 tries now
90 and four so they’re going to be
without the services of um David Ramos
but I do think that like stoyanovich and
goodam that relationship is an
interesting one they’ve tried to move
goodam just they let him float a little
bit more at times it kind of pushes him
into 10 spot I I like what that could be
in this matchup I do think in front of
that back line against Charleston like
the way that they rotate and the
midfielders go it puts a lot of pressure
on Aaron Malloy two guys covering that
space when the backline drops off a
little bit kind of like the way it looks
for Tulsa to be honest yeah um and
Good’s been a little bit banged up to
start the year as well yeah um plus I
like Blain Ferry the youth national team
player on the outside he seems to start
to be maturing a little bit more he’s
cleaner on the ball better decision
making I think they give him the
opportunity to see the game better the
way that they let him play previously it
felt like a lot more was by his Lonesome
kind of closed off to the match I don’t
see that as much for him which is
obviously good in terms of his growth
patterns yeah which you know Mario
Sanchez coming in right so he took over
the worst team literally the worst team
in men’s college soccer and turned them
into a winning program in like two years
yep uh that was what UNLV correct uh
ends up at the Academy at Louisville I
mean you want to talk about serving at
the club like all that went on with
racing Louisville he steps in as the
interim there he was set to be the
assistant coach there this year um and
then he gets this call from Tulsa at the
last minute when Blair Gavin gets the
call to go to New England and join
Caleb’s staff and then the president of
the team leaves and and goes to League
headquarters um pretty wild
like nutty off seon for them I the thing
that took me when I spoke to him was go
look at the turnover elsewhere in the
organization no one wanted to be here
it’s our job to change that yeah and I
thought that was really really telling
because the craft family they are not
thread threadbear they’re not
broke what’s the biggest change that we
see as we now change gears in the
Colorado Springs indie game that you
would want want to see out of a
team uh don’t understand the question
but I’m sure it was a good one put it to
you I’m saying for instance as we change
gears and go to another game here if if
you were one of those managers what
would you want to see differently and
don’t say a result I’m saying like Indie
for instance Indie res for instance has
given us pockets of play 20 minutes in a
game 40 minutes in a game and they look
lost in the rest of it Colorado Springs
goes 100 miles an hour one into another
and for some reason
can’t
finish anything no it like legitimately
like 3% conversion which is it it’s
impossible to be that bad at finishing
and and the players there aren’t at that
level um I I would like to see a little
more composed compact from Colorado
Springs in that game uh you’ve got an
indie team that’s like hemorrhaging
goals right now so I know maybe I’m
wrong and you want to run it right down
their throat right from the jump but to
me I just want to see a little more
composure it’s not in their DNA to do
that yeah in in what Four Seasons three
seasons now since Brenan Burke went out
to the west and open things up they
don’t have an off switch but you’ve lost
five games in a row so maybe it’s time
to go see if it exists who wins
uh Colorado I’ll take Indie okay um two
other games they they’re the late games
Orange County and Sacramento 10 p.m.
Eastern that is the top two teams in the
west uh Phoenix and Pittsburgh uh 10:30
p.m. eastern time uh out on the west as
well anything to add you good all right
upward and onward pulper coming up on
the other side of the break you’re
listening to USL all access on Sirius
xmfc here are your hosts Mike Watts and
Devin Kerr welcome back here we go on
USL all access closing out on this
Tuesday night with Dev Mike uh Dev let’s
just chat about where we’re going right
winless unbeaten let’s start with the
teams that that are on the the downside
right now Rhode Island will go to Las
Vegas they do have four points and all
of them are from draws uh Pittsburgh has
a couple of points but three losses 03
and two they’re at Phoenix El Paso is at
Tampa Bay Colorado Springs will host
Indie I think Colorado Springs will get
at least a point this week but it’s
important to note that Rhode Island and
Pittsburgh played each other last week
and you and I called it we said this
screams nil nil it’s z z no doubt and
God it it happened it really did I’ve
never been so happy to see a nil nil in
my life cuz I knew
it you’re ridiculous are I’m not I knew
it we both did Ro island is better than
what they’ve produced though I will give
them that Rhode Island is better than
four draws we can both agree on that
fair I’m not saying much better no but
they they they have had enough to win a
game they’ve had their moments for sure
and the best opportunity out of all
these teams on the weekend is Colorado
Springs yes although I do think Indie
would probably get the better of them I
think Colorado Springs probably has the
best opportunity given what we’ve seen
so far to get a result now because you
said Indies leveraging goals I think
it’s much more than that I think it’s
just poor decisionmaking now it leads to
that but all over the field their
inability to be precise and a lot of
locations has cost them not just goals
it’s it’s poor patterns of play goals on
the opposite end of the field it’s
frustrating it’s frustrating because I’m
mik people at home who don’t know this
I’m going to tell you how I feel For
Better or For Worse
usually when I go into a meeting with a
manager I’m pretty honest very not
always as brutally honest as I used to
be but I’m honest with them and I’m
honest about how I feel India is not
nowhere near as bad as what they have
put out so far nowhere near it and they
I think they deserve better
um by the way Pittsburgh one goal in
five
games and I thought it was going to be
the Turning Point too it was Kiza an
equalizer against Louisville and then
they coughed up two more at the end one
goal in five games that doesn’t surprise
me I at this point it’s starting to
become surprising the goals don’t aren’t
surprising to me it’s what’s happening
on the opposite end of the field that’s
surprising to me yeah the mo of a a
Pittsburgh riverhounds team coached by
Bob Lily is that no offends or butts you
shall not
pass it’s fair it’s true what is he a
bridge toll troll what I mean they’re
not giving up a ton but New Mexico two
against Orange County three against
Louisville at least they haven’t
conceded in two games that’s true and
you get it you when the week before you
did it against a Rowdy’s team that just
dropped five so there is a growth
pattern yep give him a minute all right
unbeaten there’s five remaining Detroit
was off last week uh they go this week
mentioned the 4:00 game there Orange
County will see Sacramento Sacramento
will go to Orange County they’re both
three and three top teams in the Western
Conference at Charleston we’ll see Tulsa
they are unbeaten through seven much
like last year the rowdies unbeaten
through five we’ll see El Paso
Louisville of course drops from the the
ranks of the unbeaten uh most likely to
take an L this
week Charleston I’m shocked
you think I you think I’m crazy for
thinking that I I just I feel like
Charleston on a small field might even
be better than Charleston on a Big Field
that’s fair I think they’re going to be
tired recognize recognize the fact that
they’re going to go they’re going to go
Saturday Tuesday
Saturday
Saturday it’s four they don’t but they
don’t play in the open Cup this week in
for sure I’m just saying man I think
they’re they’re better they’re much
better yeah sometimes I get feelings I
got a feeling about Colorado Springs two
weeks ago and look how that turned out
Excell you know that whole betting idea
don’t follow Devon no no um all right uh
Dev uh mailbags empty uh you learn
anything oh wait something yeah someone
wanted to know how often it was from our
comments last week they want to know how
often we travel and do we normally leave
like the that time after a game do we
normally we made comments about leaving
Louisville do we normally leave that
quickly we travel a ton
that’s probably the only way you can say
it um I had a chance to be home on
Sunday at 10:00 a.m. or a chance to be
home at 1 and I got home at 10: I don’t
get a lot of weekend days off that’s I
would say
98% of the time we do not get the
opportunity to travel after a match to
get home the same
night and if we do it’s usually because
we’re in a studio in our hometown
accurate accurate or or what is going to
be in hopes an early game for the final
and as I mentioned we’re going to be
doing dinner somewhere at some Hub
probably Hartsfield Jackson I could do
Minneapolis as well but not Detroit uh
Dev learn anything they got a nice golf
simulator in Detroit I learned that
you’re not even willing to venture there
for that what oh yeah it’s delightful B
terminal check it out I just can’t
believe they allow someone to hold a
golf club in an airport the airport
clientele is much different than what
you get the key all right I I’ll tell
you what I learned it’s not actually
from the show but I you know they the
the bats we use Louisville Slugger made
bats with the CBS logo and the logo of
the two teams it was our first game on
network TV they they took a beautiful
little shot of them with roses what do
you do with the bats he gave me the bat
that’s great Dev got a bat dev’s taking
out his Bat I need to say that in a
different way there you go there it
beautiful beautiful craftsmanship here I
am walking into Fort Lauderdale airport
or Cincinnati airport and I go excuse me
am I allowed to take this bat on this
plane we I as well we asked as well I
had no idea but then you think about it
why would they let you on a plane with a
bat they let you on they let you on with
a blade I travel with
scissors yeah I I just like I it it
never hit me they’re like that’s a
weapon I’m like Wow have I been us
running down the aisle with a bat to
take over a plane when you have scissors
that can unfortunately be someone In
Harm’s Way or pick a lock I mean come on
if MacGyver’s going for the throne and
he wants to throttle up to take a plane
he’s not going with Slugger my my next
flight is on Sunday and I’m about to get
cavity searched over this radio show for
Devin Mike EMT thanks for listening
we’ll talk to you again next Tuesday
night if I can get on a plane see
you this is USL all access if you missed
any portion of the program listen back
anytime on the sxm app
2 Comments
Fans can say we. They make the club money. Without fans the club doesn't exist. The clubs need the fans while the fans don't need the club. Also, Orange County SC has fans who are owners now.
No big deal on the Eagle Rare mess up guys!!!! Just glad I was able to sneak it into the game for you guys