The Blue Testament: For Sporting Kc Fans

Huw Williams joins Thad Bell from the Kansas City Soccer Journal to preview the US Women's National team at the 2023 World Cup. The first segment is focused on the group stage games and some of the other teams in the World Cup. The second segment was recorded shortly after the World Cup roster was announced. The US is coached by Kansas City resident Vlatko Andonovski. Williams and Andonovski worked together in the NWSL and in local soccer. The USWNT faces Viet Nam, Portugal, and the Netherlands in the group stage and Williams talks about what the United States faces with each one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone survived the media game last week without too many bruised egos. David breaks it all down and gives us in-depth analysis for each of us. Sporting KC dropped points that night against RSL. That was before losing 2-1 in Austin on Saturday. Peter Vermes was pretty open with his post-game comments, openly calling out the shot stopping and defense. Is this the end of Kendall McIntosh? A roster overhaul may be in order. Who on this roster are you keeping around? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grab a coffee and get your quick Wednesday morning update from Thad and Cody with the first ever 3 Midweek Points! Each week we're dropping a bite-sized update for you to quickly get all your soccer news in one spot. Justice is served - Ferreira gets fined & suspended The Yanks are coming - Women's World Cup kicks of for USWNT on Friday vs Vietnam. USMNT take on Panama in the Gold Cup Semifinal on Wednesday night. SKC badly need a win against a red hot Real Salt Lake. And the MEDIA GAME is at halftime! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sporting Kansas City twice had the lead and twice gave up the equalizer late in each half. David Greenwald, Robert Rusert and Thad Bell talk about the draw with the Houston Dynamo. The lack of offense from anyone not named Gadi or Alan is a topic and the defensive lapses in stoppage time that robbed KC of 3 points. While not affecting the score, the fact that Ferreira escapes with a yellow after a big shove on Gadi Kinda is a topic. Sporting KC's odds to make the playoffs are on the rise. will thet make it? is 61% to make the playoffs per 538. 52% to make round 1. The standings still look tough for SKC. Pulido is hot with another two goals, should SKC sign him, or can they sign him? MEDIA GAME!!!! David is still jealous he was not invited to the media game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the usual Shades of Blue team scattered with vacations and family obligations, Thad Bell hosted fellow KC Soccer Journal member (and KC soccer historian) Mike Kuhn as well as Daniel Sperry from the Kansas City Star. With Sporting Kansas City bringing Felipe Gutierrez back and the Kansas City Current signing Stine Ballisager Pedersen, we chat about how they will affect their respective teams. Is Guti the depth SKC needs? Will Ballisager add the needed defense the Current needs? And what took them so long? The US Men's National team destroyed their last two opponents and Jesus Ferreira has scored hat tricks in the last two games. Does he need to get more time with the US? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We figure out what went wrong in Sporting KC's 1-0 loss to the Chicago Fire. KC has come back down to earth with a 1-2-2 record in the June. Dany Rosero's absence made a big impact in the physical battle on set pieces, as well as with our old friend Kei Kamara. Daniel Salloi has gone quiet the past couple games, and we need more from our star player. It's time to switch back to Pulskamp in goal. If he's the man for the future he needs the experience. There were some boo's heard on the broadcast when Khiry Shelton was subbed into the match. But are the fans angry at Khiry, or Peter Vermes? New reports out of Mexico (as always, remember that hefty grain of salt) that Alan Pulido will finish out his contract with SKC this MLS season. But time is running out before other clubs can sign a pre-contract. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thad Bell from the Kansas City Soccer Journal is back with three guests in three segments. Jillian Carroll Letrinko from the KC Current broadcast team is up first with her observations. New contributor Keaton Coad brings her thoughts in the second segment and Daniel Sperry from the KC Star in the third segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sporting KC fell 2-1 at the hands of the defending champs, LAFC, on Saturday night to end a four-game unbeaten run. We start off our conversation on the topic of diving and referees. Daniel Salloi was denied a penalty for staying on his feet. Are referees incentivizing players to dive? We look at the tactics, what went wrong, and Khiry Shelton at right back. Additionally, Erik Thommy was deployed on the wing for the first time in KC. The MLS standings are still looking much nicer for SKC, although they're back below the playoff line. We talk about the Los Angeles Galaxy game on Wednesday. And we also try to talk about the Current without talking about their most recent game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're reflecting on a big week in the world of soccer after the Champions League Final, the Messi news, and a statement performance from Sporting KC to climb back above the MLS playoff line. Robert Castellanos turned in his best ever performance after Cody said he was terrible. Also Tim Leibold: hot or not? Alan Pulido has clicked into gear just at the right time. With Chivas sniffing and rumors swirling, Sporting KC must decide soon what to do with their star striker. If he keeps this up, pay that man his money. Lionel Messi coming to the league means changes are coming. Can we expect league wide changes in protocols for security and media access? Or is it a matter of time before there's another Tim Howard situation? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The long transfer saga of Lionel Messi, el mejor del mundo, has come to an end. Messi made the announcement himself on Mundo Deportivo, he is coming to Inter Miami and Major League Soccer! A historic day for the beautiful game in our country. Messi turned down a reported $1.6 billion, with a 'b', from Saudi Arabia. MLS had to get "creative" with the contract. We dive into the crazy, intricate world of MLS rules. Even our resident historian Mike Kuhn is in over his head with this one. Everything will be bent, stretched, and shoved under the rug to the greatest soccer player the world has ever seen. And to be honest... we're fine with it. Bad Translations from Messi's announcement. I can't believe he already hates Seattle. Does he have anything left? Did he come to retire? Are Messi's friends joining him in MLS? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The boys picked up another point on the road with a draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps, while the KC Current snap a losing streak with a 1-0 win. It was a draw that felt like a win, with SKC playing nearly a second string lineup. While there is some question about depth on the backline, the defense kept a very dangerous Vancouver attack at bay. Should Kendall McIntosh keep starting in goal? We debate the pros and cons for him against John Pulskamp. The Alan Pulido transfer saga is heating up. Sporting KC needs to make a decision on whether to cut their losses and recoup some of the investment, or finish the season with him and allow him to leave for free. But do they have a new striker ready to sign? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sporting KC finished with the best record in the MLS Western Conference over the month of May. But many questions remain. Is this defense good enough? Has Peter Vermes changed his ways this month? Is Dany Rosero that dude? Is Nemanja Radoja the unsung hero? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thad Bell from the Kansas City Soccer Journal is back with a new voice on the pod. Keaton Coad has joined the Journal. Keaton helps break down what the Current did wrong and could have done better. Kansas City's struggles continued with another 2-0 loss, this time to the Houston Dash. The Current were expected to be far better than their record so far and are on a five-game losing streak, four regular season games, and one Challenge Cup match. Defensive woes and sporadic scoring has seen the Current drop to the bottom of the table in 12th place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thad Bell from the Kansas City Soccer Journal is joined by three members of Sunflower State FC @SunflowerStFC, co-vice president Sal Sesti, Director of coaching and NPSL head coach Nick Mcdonald, and WPSL head coach Jose Ramos. Sunflower State FC is one of several lower-division teams providing places for players to continue their careers and maybe even make it to the pro level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now a massive celebrity after his guest appearance on Ted Lasso, Jimmy Conrad remains humble and still has time for us here in Kansas City. He tells us the whole story of how he landed an appearance on Apple TV's Ted Lasso. The Soccer Tournament (TST) is coming up and Jimmy is playing against some big names from around the world. He also gives us a very candid take on Peter Vermes and how to fix Sporting KC's problems. Cody has a very bad take about Sporting KC Legends and has to face for the former World Cup player. Top 5 Reasons Jimmy Conrad is an SKC Legend & Jimmy's Top 5 Sporting KC Wizards players of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jillian Carroll Letrinko from the Kansas City Current broadcast team, Daniel Sperry from the Kansas City Star, and Thad Bell from the Kansas City Soccer Journal are back with another episode of Keeping Current with Kansas City. The Current were expected to be far better than their record so far and are on a four-game losing streak, three regular season games, and one Challenge Cup match. Kansas City fell to Racing Louisville twice in a few days. First on the road in the Challenge Cup and then at home. We break down what has been going wrong for the Current. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apologies for not having the show out on Monday, we were traveling back from STL and couldn't record on Sunday. By the way, next week might also be different with the holiday weekend. In case you started feeling positive about this season for a brief moment, the soccer gods made sure to remind us we can't have nice things with a 4-0 loss against St. Louis City SC. We talk tactics, complain about the referees, and hear what Peter Vermes thought after the match. David tests out a new character - David in the Chat. There is still not a widely accepted name for the KC-STL rivalry, but we have a few new suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The addition of Nemanja Radoja had a chain reaction in Sporting KC's win over Minnesota United. Remi Walter played in his natural spot, changing the role of Erik Thommy, which freed up Dani Salloi, which led to a Team of the Week nod for the Hungarian. Now that Sporting KC is the greatest team in the world again, what exactly do they need to do to make the playoffs? With two tough matches this week, it could get more difficult. Ownership never responded or addressed the letter from the KC Cauldron. It seems the conversation with Sam McDowell of the KC Star was the club's blanket comments about Peter Vermes & the state of the team. Two games isn't a streak, and they need to show a lot more before Peter Vermes wins some of those fans back. How many points should we hope for out of the double-game week? LAFC looks like the best team in MLS and St. Louis City SC is going to be a fight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jillian Carroll Letrinko from the Kansas City Current broadcast team, Daniel Sperry from the Kansas City Star, and Thad Bell from the Kansas City Soccer Journal are back with another episode of Keeping Current with Kansas City. We take a look at the loss at Angel City with out number one takeaways from the match and preview the upcoming San Diego Wave game. The Current are on a roll to breaking their attendance record again and will be looking to get back on track against a strong Wave team. Of course Alex Morgan gets a lot of attention but who else will the Current have to watch out for? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Benny Feilhaber and Ike Opara join us to reminisce about the good ol' days for Sporting KC and talk about the second year of their regime leading SKC II in MLS Next Pro. And - as always - a lot of other nonsense. Is Sal Zizzo joining the coaching staff? They also tease the potential return of the BSI Podcast. We talked about exciting players who could make the jump to MLS, challenges & disagreements in their new coaching careers, and who does all the yelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices