Rooster and the Villain: An American Soccer Podcast

Reset Button - Life and Hotspurs

A family emergency took priority over the usual Rooster and the Devil episode but I couldn't leave y'all high and dry. Thanks for listening. We'll be back up and running next week if things go to plan here.

It's Time to Move On from the NFL

Longtime friend and Vicksburg (Michigan) Soccer alum Matt Woodhams joins the poddy this week. The boys attempt to nurture his budding appreciation for soccer as he becomes disenchanted with the NFL.

This is the fun part. We take a test to figure out what team would be the best fit for him in terms of support. Then we take a drive down memory lane with him as he and the Devil reminisce about their long faded soccer careers.

 

A Glimpse Behind the Scenes of the LA Galaxy

Josh Guesman from the Corner of the Galaxy podcast and blog comes into the devil's lair to talk about what it's like covering the LA Galaxy as a reporter. 

He gives us a glimpse into press coverage from MLS, what Zlatan is like as a person, how the MLS has grown since he started covering it in 2009, and where he thinks it's going in the next 10 years. We also ponder about what the LA Galaxy would look like if David Beckham never came. Then hop over to the El Traffico to talk about the new, exciting rivalry in LA. 

I'd also like to say that this man has a silky smooth radio voice and is a delight to listen to. 

Give Me the Pochettino Tramp Stamp Buddy

Moussa Dembele, we love you. I'm sorry that I missed your prime. 

We discuss the current state of Tottenham and Manchester United. Leicester City and how good they look. Pulisic's hat trick and Chelsea. Sergino Dest and why it's exciting that he selected USMNT. We also admit that GGG hasn't yet had the full squad in place because of injuries (Adams and Weah). We ponder about whether being a USMNT fan is honestly worth it. Then other stuff.

I also talk about my overactive bladder...you're welcome.

I implore to listen to my attempt at rapping like Slim Shady at the end of the episode.

Bonus Episode! The NBA Sucks Now.

Noah Perkins and I have been internet friends for a long time. We don't want to brag or anything, but we're kind of big deals in Japan. We co-wrote a column called "Mike and Perk" for the (now defunct) #2 NBA magazine in all of Japan (HOOP Japan).

Noah has watched from a distance as I have abandoned the sport I once loved and ran away with my new mistress; soccer. He explains why he continues to love the game of basketball with the exception of the NBA. He also tells a great story about how a former Patriots linebacker (Tully Banta Cain) broke his back in a pick-up game of basketball. 

We then get into which NFL players would make excellent soccer players and decided that Calvin Johnson would have been an incredible goalkeeper.

Man City Nico Brings us Old Men the Truth

Oh to be 24. Our guy @nicodegallo (I love his handle) is just a delightful man to converse with. He tells us all about his experience with a press pass at the International Champions Cup games. He regales us with stories about how cool the Arsenal players are in person. Yuck.

Then we talk about his beloved Man City and their amazing depth. The odd losses early in the season. What it's like to play down an early goal. Then a dive into the USMNT dungeon. And of course; delightful champions league banter. Eventually we talk about his favorite local squad and his experience at their playoff game (Philadelphia Union). It was wonderful. 

Brad, the main Rooster, also tacked on ten minutes at the end here. I won't listen to it until I hear it on the air so not sure what he ranted about. He did end with Harry Kane rant, which I heard while recording the song, and he sounded angry. We'll see. 

The Devil's Inner Monologue

Have you ever wanted to jump inside the devil's mind for a full hour? Here's your chance. 

This man didn't stop talking for 56 straight minutes. It was organized, thorough, and fun. He wrote an outline and switched up the topics to keep it fun.

The episode covers USMNT, Manchester United, the Devil's favorite movies, the Devil's top 5 games ever attended (any sport), a thoughtful monologue on referees, VAR, and the way we treat them. Just so much more. It honestly might be my favorite rooster and the devil episode. I hope you like it.

10 Questions with Bryan Helder (Liverpool guy)

We tasked our #1 fan, Bryan Helder, to come up with 10 questions for us to answer about the Premier League. During this process, you find out which of the boys is left in the stone age in terms of the boxer/brief conversation. Then the episode dips and dives with delightful conversation that touches all parts of the soccersphere, even "Major League" Soccer.

Idaho, You Da Ho, Pochettino, Bayern Oh No!

This episode came immediately following the absolute slaughter of Tottenham Hotspur at the hands of the Bundesliga giant, Bayern Munich. Gnabry, an ex-Arse player, had 4 goals and claimed that "North London is Red". Tottenham has to remember all of this nonsense for when they march in to Munich and kick their asses in the rematch.

But anyway; that's over. We talk about Manchester United in general, their game against Arsenal, Europa League briefing (prior to the tie today), Brad tells us all about his trip to Idaho (#treenerd), his brother comes on, and the final week of Premier League before another USMNT break.

This Seesaw Ride is Out of Control

Wow. Losing to Colchester United in the Carabao Cup is pathetic. No doubt. But it's so early in the season and let's all just enjoy the ride.

We start off sad about Tottenham and Manchester United for the first 20 minutes but then loosen up enough to dive into Rooster and the Devil after dark with a little role play.

A lot of topics are covered. Champions League. South Coast Derby. Wayne Rooney. Troy Deeney. Leicester and West Ham. Arguments over our hatred of Liverpool (except Brad) and Man City. Even Brett Favre comes up. Don't ask us more.