When The Table Is Flipped: Kacey White's NWSL on SDH AM 3.31.26

0:00The gauntlet has been set for NWSL Atlanta team 17, 63,004 was the number that was posted at mile high. It was great scenes, even though there weren't any goals on the board. Good showing for Denver at home with a lot of folks watching. It definitely was. I think anybody that has been a fan of women's soccer has been a former player, a former coach. Other players, even current coaches, staff, almost was just, it was just one of those surreal moments where you're not in awe because you knew it could come, but you didn't maybe know how many people would actually show up to this game and to hear that number when Jordan and Angelie announced that and announced the number, I think everyone was just in shock. I mean, we've been watching it for a couple of weeks now of, okay, it's 40,000, it's 50,000, like what was the final number going to be?

1:00And I just so happy for the players that were able to experience that, the coaches. Jordan and Angelie is a good friend and she's been working on this for a lot of years and was just happy to see it come to fruition. So you end up with what we're seeing with Denver Summit and they're going to be in three separate stadium. They started off at mile high, then they're going to Conor City to go have some matches at Dix before their own stadium is set to go. What did you think about their build and how they were trying to present themselves here in year one as this new franchise? I think they were really strategic in what they did and they brought some players in that had league experience like a Kayleigh Kurtz and a Jeanine Sonis, like players that could provide leadership, they happened to also be on the back line as well. So I think that there were some really smart strategic moves for the core of the team, the heartbeat of the team and what that would look like from real experience in the league.

2:01Obviously, we all know that Lindsay Heaps is coming in July but that is obviously great and the entire Denver community will be so happy to have her, the whole NWSL community will be happy to have her back to be quite honest. But I think they had to build it strategically early on. They also got some players that seem hungry, that maybe haven't played as much or have come from other leagues that are contributing and they brought in a great coach, a great manager. And so I think that they are overachieving for what a first year franchise should be doing. But I'm not surprised by the fact that they have had some of that success early because of the experience they brought in. Boston's the other new team that is in and they're at Foxboro right now before their stadium closer to downtown gets made. Boston, what have you thought about what they've been bringing to the table so far? Boston's interesting. They're kind of those mavericks, you know, that play and they get after it and every game I've watched, I haven't been able to watch every game of theirs but the games I have watched,

3:04you get that feeling of they're going to fight their creative, they have some flair, they have some speed up top, which is a bit scary, but then it just kind of tails off as the game goes on, frustration has been setting in with them. I will say in this game this last weekend, I really thought that there should have been a penalty to Boston early and they let the frustration show and there were two calls right in a row they were really upset about and you talk, stayed in it, got their goals and were able to put it away. So I think there's just some, you know, figuring out discipline wise and how to put it all together but for them, getting the first goal, that's kind of nice just to get that going. Now they have to figure out how to put together a 90 minute performance. And at the top of the table, then we'll just go top down here because there's stories all across the NWS. Angel City, it was almost like, you know, all right, we're done messing around for, you know, however you want to qualify that.

4:04And on satisfactory year by their own admission last year, they once again continue to invest in players and bring folks back and they're three for three out of the blocks and it's like you scored nine, you've only given up two and Angel City's at the top, a place that we're not used to seeing them over the last couple of seasons. Yes. I think when I look at the table, it is a table of just like unexpected sites to be quite honest with you and Angel City is the primary one. I think everyone's thought that they've had these pieces to be able to put together but to see them at the very top of the table is something different, it's something exciting. One thing we've always talked about every year with the NWSL is how tight the table always is. But now, not only is it tight early in the season, but we're seeing a flip of who's up there. I mean, not only Angel City, but you've got Houston in the top half, you have Denver hanging on to the top half, tied with a few teams. Bay FC is now up there after their win-verse North Carolina courage.

5:07You've got some that are kind of expected to be up there and then you've got the flip side on a couple that we're not used to seeing in the bottom half and so it's really interesting early on. I'm glad to see Angel City performing well though, they're doing a really nice job early in the season. Yeah, you mentioned Bay and they're right now two and one after their first three. When you looked in below the playoff bar, Gotham right now is at number nine. They've only got four points in their first hand or they've got five points in their first hand full of matches. Then below Gotham, it is Washington Spirit at 12, 12 with three points in their first four matches. Kansas City is the same and they've given up a boatload of goals to start off the season. I'll go ahead and ask, what in the wide world of sports is going on in DC in Kansas City? It's the NWSL, John. It happens. It doesn't happen to them very often, but it does happen. I think that it's too early for a panic button for any of these teams, but...

6:10Oh, Juan, I can't believe you're trying to be pragmatic about that. It's actually what I truly believe. It's early. It's early. However, we have learned from other franchises. It was Louisville a few years ago. When racing was tying a ton of games, it came back to Bidome. Utah Royals went on a crazy long streak of no wins last year, then tried to make a run at the end and almost made a run to the last playoff spot, just couldn't quite do it. You can put yourself in a hole very quickly. That's what they need to be careful of. Now, do I think they're going to stay down there? Both of those teams know I don't necessarily think that. Kansas City had a huge loss in losing Clare Hutton, and I'm not going to put it all on that, but that is a glue-type player, and yes, I know she's young, but my goodness is she good. She's so comfortable on the ball. She allows everyone else to do their job and just closes things down in midfield. That's a big one for Washington. The fluidity in the attack just isn't quite there yet, but they have the ability.

7:10They have all the attacking threats. They could have been up three or four zero on Utah on the game I had. It was just that finishing in the final third. They're creating chances and still could be scary down the line. But Gotham and KC play this weekend, so I think we'll have even more answers after that. So, I mean, with those two squaring off, I mean, I look at that, I'm just going to sit here and say it right now. I think it's going to be a draw, because the issues that we've seen with both, I think they kind of cancel each other out. You see how I work when it comes to my expert picking here. I do see that. Yes. And you see by my wardrobe how successful I really am when it comes to me. But you have two teams that are kind of a hiccuping their way through right now. And I imagine that, and this will be my coaching question for you after this. It's just that right now, they're trying to feel out and figure out with all the new faces and integrating, knowing what they want to be. By the end of the year, it's all in the pacing for these two, I would say.

8:14I think so. It's really how you manage these moments, especially dealing with a team like Kansas City, because Gotham has been through their ups and downs, and then they come up and they win a championship. I think we all know the grit that Gotham has. A team like Kansas City has had so much success that they need the management from the top to not panic, to not be overly worried, to take it seriously, problem solve, but trust in the players, because they have an incredibly good roster. So the leadership on the field is going to be very important as well as they navigate this time period. I think this weekend is really interesting for all of the NWSL, because you have a team like Kansas City playing Gotham, but you've also got teams that are in that top half, like at Houston. Utah is not quite the top half, but they're trending upwards, playing against Chicago. Houston playing against a racing Louisville. So it's all these matchups of like, who are you going to be this year? Can you submit what you've already accomplished and provide separation, or can you show if

9:15you're one of the lower teams, hey, this isn't who we are and get a win to put you on the right track? So I think it's a critical game weekend for these teams. OK. All right. So this is where you put on your coaches cap here. Let's do it. We're going to go inside the locker room. And how is it on a day to day when you have a team that knows they should be better? How do you continue those conversations about reminding them not to grip? The hockey term is gripping the stick too tightly where you're putting too much pressure on yourself and what you know you can do because of the internal pressure between the ears, it's not coming out the way that you know that you can do it when you're out there on the field. What are the motivational conversations or the conversations that you have to remind everyone on these rosters, hey, we're cool, it's early, just keep doing the thing and trusting

10:15yourself. How do you have those veterans continue to keep that message between the ears so they don't completely and totally lose their minds? And then for the younger players who might not necessarily have been in a situation like this before, look, it's early, don't freak out, I know you're freaking out, but don't freak out. How do you manage those conversations when it comes to the day to day if you're off to a more rough start? One of the main pieces you hit on was the internal pressure. I think it's a good point to say you have to limit the external pressure. Like we live in a digital world where there in media world that everyone's talking about like a Kansas City, you know, oh, what's going on with them? Are they going to be bad this year? What's happening? You have to limit the external noise and create a bubble as much as you can. We all know we can't do it completely, but you have to look internal of what are we doing here week by week? I think the best thing you can do as a coach is you don't ignore the issue, but you go to

11:15work. So if there's something that needs to be solved tactically, if there's something that, okay, we got to look at the scout for this next week. How do we address what just happened by addressing the tactics of what went wrong? But then when and how do we direct the attention to the following week? I think in doing that, it's a very fine line of not ignoring the issue, but also not dwelling on the issue. So this is what I've talked about in the past with you of having a pulse of your group knowing when to approach subjects and when not to. And that's where your connection with your leadership comes in for all these clubs. Your leadership on the field has the better pulse of the group than a coach will ever have. And the sooner a coach accepts that, the better because you can really use that to your advantage of understanding that. The next part is making sure your leadership, you know, keeps their eye on the prize as well. And you keep them calm and you keep them confident because if that happens, it'll trickle down to your first year players.

12:15And in Kansas City, you have a first year coach who has experience in the division one level in the United States and Chris Armas. He's coming over for Major League Soccer. So to me, that's another interesting part of this dynamic where Chris has been, you know, he's been at Manchester United shoot, he's been at, you know, he's been at Red Bulls, he's been in Toronto, he's been in Colorado. So he knows Major League Soccer, he's seen the Premier League in various shapes, ways and forms. And now he comes over and is coaching in the NWSL. So it's a, while it's a different perspective because of his CV, it's the same perspective because he's been ahead coach in high pressure situations before. Mm-hmm. I really enjoyed my chats with Chris Armas over the last years, you know, when I covered his games, he has a great tactical brain, he's an intense coach, he gets competitive.

13:16I've just really enjoyed that. I think that one of the things we all have to be careful of when we're watching teams is that a team like Kansas City had a year last year that no one's ever had. Mm-hmm. Like, they were not going to replicate that, right? So I think that it's kind of just one of those situations where it can go to the dramatics. And this is where people will be like, Casey, you're two level headed. I'm like, well sorry, I coach, like I just don't go to the dramatics immediately. I think that Chris Armas has the ability to lead this team and turn this around. And that's why I said you lean on your leadership and that's not just him because he's coming over to the women's game. That's with, if there was a new coach there from another women's club, like coming over, like those to me ring true, whether you're a male in the female game or a female in the male game, people are people. And there's nuances to every club and there's nuances to every league that you have to learn. But I think it's about keeping a level head because these are professional elite athletes.

14:17And they usually can self correct with a little bit of guidance. Oh, come on now. Yeah, that's my real opinion, John. All of this level headedness, I don't know, I don't know where all this level headedness has come. How long did it, let me ask you this, how long did it take you to be this level headed as a coach? Oh, that's a good question. I'll be honest, I've always been decently calm as a coach and level headed. It's grown through the years. And I will say the only things that really get me riled up are like non-negotiables of like work ethic or some character things or like I will get, I'll get riled up. But when it comes to just the game, I think I'm pretty, I'm pretty level headed by nature, which is, it's who I am. I don't know if it's good or bad. But that's who I am and that's how I look at the game. So it's interesting. Yeah, the whole level headedness thing is something that you really don't see, you know, adding context to situations in a reactive, in a reactive world, it's like the instant

15:21we want the instant results, you know, we want the microwave meal, we want it to be fantastic, you know, we throw the, we throw the many meal in a minute later, hey, there's one, you know, those. Well, I've definitely had those moments, don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect, I've definitely had those moments, but you learn from them, like, I mean, I had one of those moments here recently watching Duke lose, but in the positive way, in my opinion, where I absolutely lost my mind in the best way, but we won't go there, you know, but just, you know, a Tar Hill fan had to throw that out there. Well, alumna, fan, player, choice, D all in the above, Casey D's been Columbus, she's going to be sharing a stage with a duck today and she might be going down the, she might be going down the river in a kayak by the time it's over with, let's see. So on Friday, it's going to be traditionally busy. It is Boston and San Diego, it is Orlando and Angel City, which to me is an early marker for both of those team. You mentioned Houston and racing Louisville and Utah and Chicago.

16:25What is going on in Chicago? They just can't seem to, it's like every time they want to take a step forward, they step on a rake. I don't know what's going on. I don't either. I don't have answers for that. I feel like you're right. Like when they, when they have a positive performance, positive result, it's like the next week, it's back to what they were before. So a lot of times when you're, you're trying to make changes in bill clubs, like it can feel a little bit like that at some point, it'll have to level out either way, you would think, because they do have the talent to pull out games and to, they have some goalscoring ability. So we'll see. So this is a big one versus Utah this weekend for Chicago. I mentioned it for Utah being big. Like who does Utah want to prove that they are? And can they provide separation from teams that are at the bottom? But the same is true for Chicago of, can we put together solid performances? Yep. Saturday, Kansas City Gotham, that's going to be huge at CPKC, Courage in Portland, Seattle in Denver, Sunday, Bay and Washington. Once again, Bay with the early marker, 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, on the doose, going

17:31up against Washington's spirit, obviously you're going to wrap the weekend fairly well. Who have been some of the younger players that have really impressed you so far coming out of the block? Oh, Alex Fyfer is a big one. We've known about her, obviously, with Kansas City, they've been, she's been like so impressive with Kansas City, but just like had the injury, it was all, it was all about top, and she wasn't able to get a lot of the playing time that she wanted to get. Now with Bay FC getting goals, what I like about her is she is so competitive. You can just see it. When she scores a goal, it's like a in-your-face moment, which I kind of like out of her. I just like the energy that she brings. She's young. She's got skills in the 18 well beyond her years and composure, so she's a top one for me. Okay, MLS this weekend, are you back, are you going back to St. Louis for like the 90th time? No, I'm going to Salt Lake, actually. Okay, cool.

18:31All right, so Salt Lake, who's RSL taking on this weekend? Sporting KC. Okay, so you've got that one. Sporting Kansas City, they are a team in transition. David Lee, the sporting director, said before the season that they were going to be bringing in 10, 12, 14 new faces, it is showing so far, and you get RSL who, if you're sleeping on Pablo Mostereni right now, we got to see it here in Atlanta earlier this year. You've got a lot of young talent under the age of 21 that, especially at the right hand side of the attack, that you found out about because you had injuries and Pablo Mostereni had to sit there and go, okay, what am I going to do? I don't have Yedlin, I don't have a Nelly, I don't have Diego Luna, and so then what do you do? You put in Xavier Gozo on the right hand side and Ozarkani, and you're just like you're running rampant up the right hand side, so this one at face value looks like it might be a long night for sporting and a reaffirmation of the building through the program for RSL.

19:37I think you're right. I think on the outside looking in, that's the expectation, and then I go and I see like only a 1-0 loss to San Diego from sporting Casey, okay, it's a loss, I get it, like it's still a loss at the end of the day, but it's San Diego, and so there's these performances where they get the win vs LA, they get a tight one vs San Diego, but then they have these big losses towards other teams, whether it's San Jose, whether it's Colorado, most recently, where they lead goals, so it could be a long night, but I think that they could have some tactical approaches to being on the road that could make it a little bit harder for Salt Lake, we'll see, but you're right, and with a Salt Lake team, you still got Luna that's continuing to be more reinserted into the attack, so any coach will tell you that depth and not knowing like that you had the talent you had, not necessarily not knowing, but having to play some of those younger players and then stepping up to the challenge, and now you have these harder decisions to make and the depth across your roster, any coach will tell you that that

20:39is the best problem to have. All right. No doubt. One question from Dell, who is in Charleston, and he's one of our A-listers. Question for you. Any new players that should get a call up to the next WNT camp? Oh, great question. Any players that should get a call up. Oh gosh. I've got to think on that one. If you want to eat some Columbus Georgia hot dogs, and you're going to donate more for this question, you could do that and just let me know and then we'll let Wal know. I will do that because I don't want to just throw someone out there. That's a big one. Being a former player with the US team, I don't just throw that out, so I've got to think on that a little bit more because some of the ones that are popping into my head are already national team players on their recent performance, so let me think on that one, Dell, and I'll get one

21:39back to you. Okay, so KCD is going to go hang out with a duck, and hopefully she is bestowed the sky blue blazer. Do we know if either Dion or Coach Sabin is going to be joining you in addition to the duck? Look, they didn't want to upstage me and they would, so you know, they were very polite and are staying home, I think, for this one. Okay, so KCD is hanging out in Columbus, and we will catch up with you again this time next week, where we'll take a peek at what happened in the NWSL, take a peek at what happened in Major League Soccer, and we'll keep moving forward here. I think after this week, it's like a three week break for the NWSL, for camps, and things like that, so we're going to be all MLS all the time with KCD. So enjoy your time with the duck. Thank you. And kick him and just knock him dead, and we'll catch up with you again next week,