The criticism might sound too harsh. NYCFC held more of the ball on Saturday at Subaru Park. NYCFC created more goal scoring chances in the game. In the end, the two goals they conceded made the team appear very weak. Ultimately, it is a match most NYCFC fans and the team will quickly want to forget.
This week Mike and J.R. welcome in for the first time on the podcast Scott Churchson. Scott is co-owner of Stream Punk Entertainment and has been covering NYCFC since 2021. Together they talk about the new roster moves, the probability of NYCFC making the MLS Cup Playoffs and recap the key moments from Saturday’s loss.
It was another week for NYCFC with two consecutive draws. Nick Cushing’s squad was hopeful to build off the momentum of the first road win away in Montreal but a poor clearance by defender, Justin Haak, in the Charlotte game would prove to be costly. NYCFC did earn a point in that match thanks to a late goal by Braian Cufre. It was more late heroics in Columbus as Justin Haak entered the history books being the first home grown player to score in a competitive match. Sadly the intensity of Columbus even down a man would prove to be more pressure than NYCFC could absorb.
This week Mike, J.R. and Mike Allen look back at the crazy two games and even touch a little on the USMNT as they continue their Gold Cup run.
Everyone knew the moment would come eventually. Everyone knew that NYCFC would not go the rest of the regular season winless, but the streak kept creeping along, through May and then through most of June.
This week Mike Anderer and Mike Allen jump on the microphones to discuss the victory from Stade Saputo against CF Montreal. There’s also audio from Nick Cushing and Justin Haak in the episode. Our resident Justin Haak critic, J.R. deBart was oddly unavailable for this week’s recording. We are sure he’s on scripting some eloquent praise for the NYCFC homegrown player that he will share on an upcoming episode.
Nick Cushing’s haters are growing louder and louder as NYCFC continues to look for the next victory. Now winless in eleven MLS matches and hovering at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table, the team came within three minutes of a victory this past week in Atlanta. The draw from down south was probably one of the clearest moments where the outcome was connected to Cushing’s in-game decisions.
The Boys from the Bronx then flew from Atlanta to Portland and returned to the stadium where they hoisted the MLS Cup back in 2021. It was a match played with resolve as they clawed back a draw after trailing late in the first half.
This week the guys look back at the week’s two matches. They also discuss the question on many fans’ minds, “Is Cushing on the hot seat”?
The issues with the roster are real. The mistakes by the team on the field are real. Missing key players due to injury and international duty is a real barrier to getting results. Despite all those factors the excuse making from Nick Cushing is wearing the fanbase down and it’s curious to wonder how his approach is impacting the locker room of young talent. NYCFC left yet another two home points on the table as they drew Columbus Crew at home in Yankee Stadium. The dismal road performances have now carried over to the home form and the team remains without a win in ten games.
This week Mike, J.R. and Mike Allen do their best to find optimism, but the challenges are real and looking to praise performances that are not yielding wins is like trying to award Michelin Stars to fast food restaurants.
In the second segment, J.R. takes a few minutes to chat with Tony Alfaro from NYCFC to see how he’s enjoying life in NY.
We would be fools if we didn’t talk a little about Lionel Messi and the impact he will have on the league. It doesn’t mean we have the best takes on the subject, but we get some thoughts out there for the listeners to consider on the subject.
In the second segment Mike, J.R. and Mike Allen give their thoughts on the NYCFC draw in Rio Tinto and share some audio from Head Coach, Nick Cushing.
We have heard the criticism that the episodes need to be tighter, but in a week when NYCFC plays two matches with so many talking points, there is only so much trimming that we can do.
This week Mike, J.R. Debart and Mike Allen talk about the key points from a week when NYCFC only earned a point. They go over the loss to Cincinnati and the draw to New England.
First let’s lead with our mistakes. In the opening of the episode there is an excerpt from the commentary from Saturday night’s MLS Season Pass broadcast. The commentator is Devon Kerr, but Mike Anderer wrongfully attributes the segment to Devon’s play-by-play co-host, Tyler Terens.
What is most important might not actually be who says the line, but what is said about NYCFC. It is a damning testament to simply how mediocre and milquetoast this team has become since Nick Cushing took the reigns.
This week Mike Anderer and Mike Allen welcome Andrew Leigh from Hudson River Blue to the show for a conversation about what NYCFC can do to help themselves become relevant in the Eastern Conference.
This is a personal favorite episode for Producer and Host Mike Anderer. It is a favorite because it is an evergreen episode. Yes, there is conversation about the game of the week and some details that will put a virtual timestamp on the episode, but overall this is a broad stroke conversation about NYCFC and the club’s impact on two reporters that have been part of the media landscape since the very beginning.
This week Mike Anderer and J.R. DeBart invite Trey Fillmore from Blue Balls Podcast on as a guest. During the episode the three discuss the recently released stadium renderings, the most current MLS Players Salary data and of course the draw in Orlando, but the most important segment is the dive into the early stages of covering NYCFC. Blue City Radio and Blue Balls Podcast share the unique honor of being the earliest podcasts and dedicated media sources covering NYCFC.
The struggles for NYCFC on the road continued and the frustration from Nick Cushing is showing. The coach was tense in the press conference following the team’s fourth consecutive loss in a row on the road in all competitions.
This week the guys let all of their frustrations out and look at what NYCFC needs to do in order to get better results on the road with the roster they currently have.
