If you’re confused by the title of this week’s episode you can catch a great quote about the acronym in the movie Memphis Belle.
NYCFC continues to go through their preseason routine and routine seems to be a very appropriate term. There simply does not feel like there is anything new or exciting about the team a full two weeks into the preseason and less than a month away from their first match of 2024.
This week Mike and J.R. welcome Chris Campbell to the show. Yes, Chris gives an in depth update on the stadium progress, but the stadium is part of the long-term vision and plans of the club and to thrive in NY, the team needs to be competitive. The guys try to find some silver linings in the roster construction progress.
Most January’s are fairly quiet for NYCFC. But when you are coming off the worst season in your club’s history following the status quo is not the best look for the Front Office. On the first day of the 2024 MLS Pre-season the team was a flurry of signings and strong rumors.
This week Mike, J.R. deBart and Mike Allen return for their 10th season giving insight and analysis to NYCFC.
A huge thanks to all of the listeners and followers that are part of the NYCFC family for sticking with us all these years. Whether you listen every week, once a month, once a season or once every ten, you are appreciated.
David Lee owes Don Garber a huge debt of gratitude. The announcement from MLS to pull it’s teams from the 2024 US Open Cup quickly captured the narrative in the US Soccer landscape. Even NYCFC fans that were clamoring for news of players coming in January and February moved their attention to the tournament that has brought so much shame and embarrassment to the club in its history.
This week Mike and JR and then Mike and Mike Allen share their thoughts on MLS v US Open Cup and then dive into the stories about MLS 2024 regular season.
This week Mike, J.R. and Mike Allen recorded the episode while the second leg of the USMNT’s tie versus Trinidad and Tabago Nation’s League Quarterfinal matchup. This lead to a conversation on why some US Soccer fans tune in or turn off different competitions.
The guys also discuss the Sustainability Plans that were released by NYCFC in regards to the stadium project.
Remember that the live broadcast of Blue Christmas will take place next week, Tuesday, November 28 at 7:30pm at Ryan’s Daughter in the Upper East Side.
The MLS Cup Playoffs roll on, but with NYCFC not participating the guys talk about a myriad of subjects including Emma Hayes being rumored to take over as head coach for the US Women’s National team.
Eventually Mike, J.R. and Mike Allen do discuss the NYCFC roster announcement and the message sent to NYCFC fans about the 2024 season.
Mike Anderer also shares the raw audio at the end of the show from the first exchange he from 2015 with Khiry Shelton.
The day would eventually come. The possibly lingered in the distance like a mirage in the desert. Was NYCFC going to keep their playoff appearance streak alive? No.
Now comes the reset. The team will continue to train for the next few weeks as the MLS Cup Playoffs roll on, but all of the sweat and determination will be steps towards success in 2024.
This week Mike, J.R. and Mike Allen tie a bow on the NYCFC season. They also include post-game audio from the locker room in CitiField from Birk Risa, Andres Jasson, Christian McFarlane, Keaton Parks and James Sands.
If you haven’t brushed up on your Shakespeare the title of this week’s episode is a quote from Hamlet. The quote was chosen because a recurring theme from NYCFC this season has been the indecisiveness of head coach, Nick Cushing. The lineups were constantly changing. The tactics were always being tweaked. The only consistent aspect of the team’s play was their set piece defending, which quite honestly, given the change in personnel, should have been altered.
This week Mike, J.R. (briefly) and Mike Allen are joined by Christian Smith of Five Borough Footy and by Adam and Justin from The Post 90 podcast to discuss the biggest issues that NYCFC faced during this bleak 2023 season.
NYCFC and Nick Cushing knew going to Miami was going to be an important challenge on their bid to make the MLS Cup Playoffs. They were given some glimmers of hope as two of Miami’s bigger stars remained injured and unavailable for the contest.
It’s the hope that can kill you.
This week Mike Anderer and Mike Allen look back at Saturday’s match and just what went wrong for the Boys In Blue.
NYCFC took all six points this week at home against a very strong Orlando team and a completely opposite woeful Toronto.
Nick Cushing used Talles Magno and Mounsef Bakrar in the attack for the first time on Wednesday and then again on Sunday. It’s the first time the attacking duo shared the field and the results were a much needed relief for NYCFC fans and the coaches alike.
This week Mike, J.R. and Mike Allen are back to discuss the two games and ponder what it means for the Boys In Blue as they approach the home stretch of the season. There’s also post game audio from Matt Freese, Tayvon Gray, Richy Ledezma and Mounsef Bakrar.
Since the introduction of NYCFC into Major League Soccer in 2015 the rivalry matches between NYCFC and Red Bull have always been special games filled with drama, tension, and memorable moments.
This past weekend in Yankee Stadium the script changed and a toothless NYCFC wasted nearly an hour of the match without recording a single shot against the opponent. In what most fans and pundits determined was a must-win match for both sides, Nick Cushing seemed to be playing for the draw from the opening whistle. Cushing has often in the past said, “games are won and lost in key moments” and it was clear based on the in-game choices that the gaffer was avoiding at all costs a defensive lapse that would result in the loss over the risk taking necessary to earn the full three points.
This week Mike Anderer and Mike Allen welcome John Baney (@thePigeonsNYCFC) from Hudson River Blue to breakdown the game, discuss what options and decisions support their opinions and other stories around the league.
