Urban Pitch Podcast - The Beautiful Game Of Life

New year, new drama. As if we hadn't been talking about the United States men's national team enough, it found itself back in headlines once again last week. The Urban Pitch Podcast crew reconvenes for the first time in 2023 to discuss the USMNT drama between Gregg Berhalter and the Reyna family (01:21), the futures of Berhalter and Gio Reyna (18:22), options for the next USMNT coach( 22:45), the 2023 World Cup (30:11), diversity on the USWNT (41:08), and LAFC's new signing (47:41). Cast   Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores   Producer: Roy Cho   Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

We made it to the end of the year! In a special episode of the Urban Pitch Podcast, the Urban Pitch Podcast crew recounts some of their favorite memories from 2022, in addition to looking ahead to 2023 and beyond. Ramsey, Julio, and Brigitte sit down to discuss the wild 2022 World Cup final (02:18), overall takeaways from Qatar 2022 (14:50), highlights from the year (26:47), and New Year's resolutions (32:49). Cast   Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores   Producer: Roy Cho   Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.          

A regular face in the Jamaican national team back line, Javain Brown has emerged as a promising young player since fully turning pro in 2021. Now heading into his third professional season, Brown is looking to learn from the ups and downs in his career so far with both club and country.   He's seen significant time on the field in his two MLS seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps, and now that he has proper footing in the league, Brown can now establish himself as a force. He joins the Urban Pitch Podcast to discuss what he has been up to in the offseason (01:01), thoughts on the World Cup and how difficult it is to watch after not qualifying with Jamaica (06:18), what it's like to play for the Jamaica national team (10:03), how the Jamaican soccer federation can take the country to the next level (21:02), getting used to Canada and playing with the Whitecaps (26:27), and the grind of MLS and where Javain sees himself in five years (37:50), before taking on Julio's rapid fire round (41:18).   Cast   Hosts: Ram

When it comes to the beautiful game "culture" has a few different meanings. If you're talking about things on the pitch, the definition is pretty straightforward — the values a certain team or manager has instilled within its players. And while that's all great, off the pitch is where things get really interesting.   Here, culture has a multitude of connotations ranging from how we watch the game to how we become fans in the first place. It covers things adjacent to the sport — from art, to fashion, to music — in addition to customs, superstitions, and traditions that are passed down from generation to generation. Needless to say, we love the culture here at Urban Pitch, and if you couldn't tell by their name, so do the good folks at the For the Culture Podcast, aka FTCUTD.   Originally started by a group of Atlanta United fans, the movement has spread across the country and the collective has become part of the 2Cents FC umbrella. Covering everything the beautiful game has to offer — most notably B

Plying her trade with Toluca, Destinney Duron has made a name for herself as one of the top goal scorers in Liga MX Femenil. A longtime friend of the podcast, we finally got her on to discuss the jump from college ranks to the pros (05:22), overcoming ACL tears in both of her knees (13:22), Good times at The Base LA and her first tryout with Club America (18:35), making the transition from Club America to Toluca (24:19), the treatment of the men's teams vs. the women's teams in Mexico (35:14), and what it's like living in Mexico (44:06), before taking on Julio's Rapid fire round (49:00). Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

In the early 2010s, the LA Galaxy were far and away the premier franchise in MLS. Three MLS Cup titles in four years is a run of success that hasn't been replicated since, and playing significant roles in that winning stretch was Sean Franklin and AJ DeLaGarza. Fan favorites amongst the Galaxy diehards, the defensive pair were lauded for their tenacity, versatility, and reliability — features any manager would want on their back line. DeLaGarza recently signed a one-day contract with the Galaxy to announce his retirement, which gave him the opportunity for a proper farewell to the fans, one that he wasn't able to give upon being traded to Houston in 2017. He joins Franklin in the MLS alumni, who retired in 2018. Franklin spent six seasons with the Galaxy, winning two titles in addition to rookie of the year in 2008. His goal against Real Salt Lake in the 2013 playoffs is still remembered amongst fans of the Galaxy and otherwise. The duo join the Urban Pitch Podcast to discuss AJ's recent retirement and signin

It might feel a little weird, but the World Cup is finally here. In what may very well be the most contentious one of all time, the Urban Pitch Podcast crew discusses all things around the tournament, including why this World Cup isn't hitting the same (04:08), favorite World Cup memories (14:57), thoughts on the USMNT's and Mexico's chances this year (22:47), our picks to make it through to the knockout rounds (37:23), and the recent Cristiano Ronaldo interview and our picks to win the World Cup (47:29). Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.  

Although Angel City FC narrowly missed out on the playoffs, there's no way you could objectively say that the club's debut season wasn't a success. From leading the league in attendance to generating a reported $43 million in sponsorship revenue, there was plenty to cheer for in La La Land for women's soccer fans. One of those also included Madison Hammond, a defender who joined Angel City just before the Challenge Cup preseason tournament commenced in March. Hammond played in nine matches for ACFC in 2022 and was part of a back line that was the strong suit of the club. Now in the offseason, Hammond is back in the lab six days a week, honing her skills and preparing for what she and the rest of the squad hope to be a more successful 2023 season both on and off the pitch. She joins the Urban Pitch Podcast to discuss what she's been up to in the offseason and her overall thoughts on Angel City FC's debut season (01:40), the stadium atmosphere at Angel City home games and the dynamic within the team (11:07), li

Why is it so hard to quantify soccer? Advanced stat gurus have been able to do so with other sports, but still have issues in analyzing the beautiful game from a metrics perspective. In his new book "Net Gains: Inside the Beautiful Game's Analytics Revolution," ESPN staff writer Ryan O'Hanlon explores how some of the world's biggest clubs have begun to use cutting edge analytics and statistics to play more efficiently and effectively, ultimately in search of "the right way to play." He joins the Urban Pitch Podcast to discuss how playing the game at a high level made him a better writer (02:45), shere he finds himself amongst the "nerds vs. jocks" debate in advanced stats (11:37), why he decided to write a book and the work that went behind it (16:00), and working at Grantland and The Ringer under Bill Simmons and transitioning to ESPN (35:20), before taking on Julio's rapid fire round (48:14). Net Gains: Inside the Beautiful Game's Analytics Revolution is available for purchase

When you read "Amor Prohibido" (forbidden love), your first thoughts may go to the iconic first track of Selena's "Dreaming of You" album. But for Bryan Escareño, it goes way deeper than that. The namesake of his brand goes back to his origins in fashion. When the LA native decided to get into the game, he received pushback from his family, who didn't see fashion as a viable career path. The machismo present in many Mexican families often discourages its children from entering the arts, but Escareño is looking to change that with his creative designs that evoke images from his childhood, but with his own twist. He's been able to work with the likes of adidas, creating a customized version of the widely acclaimed 2022 Mexico kit, in addition to big names like Tecate, Nike, and Union. But it doesn't matter who he works with, anything that Escareño puts his name behind will have his signature essence — that is, it'll be undeniably rooted in LA. We spoke to the rising designer and creative min

In front of a deafening sold out crowd, LAFC willed their way to a 3-2 win over arch rival LA Galaxy in their second round matchup of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Urban Pitch Podcast crew was at the Banc to take in all the vibes, and sit down to recap the high octane match (1:00), the Rose Bowl El Trafico match to open the 2023 season (16:08) and the greatest El Trafico matches of all time (34:17). This podcast was supported by Bet Online and Tricore Sports. Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

Johana Rosas played and trained with a broken wrist that required surgery for over a month. That's pretty much all you need to know about the way she plays the game. The injury has kept Rosas on the sideline for most of her first professional season with Xolos of Tijuana, but she sees it as a blessing in disguise.   Despite having torn both of her ACLs in the past, she says this injury has been the most frustrating, but it has shown her resilience and dedication to continue playing at the pro level. It's also given her a chance to get a glimpse of the professional lifestyle and dynamics from a different perspective, one that she could not have seen had she been playing and training every day.   We sit down with Rosas to discuss her surgery and injury recovery (03:10), her training schedule with Xolos and her journey to the pro ranks (08:30), adjusting to the pro game, and differences between the way the game is played in the US and in Mexico (15:32), the growth of Liga MX and the standard of play in the leagu

Having played in two youth World Cups and one senior Club World Cup, Abraham Romero has seen the glamor that professional soccer has to offer. But he's no stranger to its struggle either. He was ready to retire following his 2020 season with LA Galaxy II, and despite signing with Orange County SC, he still had to work a construction job during the season to help make ends meet. In the turbulent world of professional sports, things can change up on you quickly. One moment you've felt like you made it, and the next you're struggling to tread water. Romero's resolve and perseverance have kept him afloat over the past two years, but there is plenty of grinding left to do in his career. We sit down with the 24-year-old goalkeeper, currently with the Las Vegas Lights, to discuss the rigorous travel between training in LA and playing home games in Las Vegas (02:59), the not-so-glamorous aspects of being a pro athlete (05:25), changing between 3 teams in 3 years and getting assimilated with Las Vegas Lights (10:40),

The 2022 World Cup is upon us, so of course that means that USMNT fans are in a downward spiraling frenzy about the status of their team. After a lackluster international window that featured zero goals scored, the calls for #BerhalterOut are as strong as ever. But is it really panic time for the USMNT? The (not-so) Washed-Up Crew is back with another episode to answer that question (10:48), along with their thoughts on Mexico (23:20), the 2022 World Cup kits (24:50), Lil Baby's World Cup song (35:27), The push to the MLS Cup Playoffs (42:50), and Angel City FC's playoff hopes and brief season recap (48:16). This podcast was supported by Bet Online and The Football Boutique. Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla, Julio Monterroza, & Brigitte Flores Producer: Roy Cho Subscribe to our newsletter for more interviews and latest news on street football, freestyle, and urban culture, read more about soccer culture on our website, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

Whether it's lifting a pair of MLS Cup trophies or playing alongside and against the likes of David Beckham, Landon Donovan, and Cristiano Ronaldo, Bryan Jordan had quite a career in pro soccer. But that's only part of his story. The LA Galaxy fan favorite has transitioned into careers both adjacent to and beyond soccer, working closely with the Galaxy as well as getting into acting and modeling. The transition that followed his playing career wasn't easy, but Jordan has worked to carve a solid niche for himself while also remaining close to the game. He joins the Washed-Up Crew to discuss LA Galaxy's playoff push and the up-and-down nature of the season so far (00:02:32), his role with the Galaxy and staying in contact with the club after his playing days (00:10:50), transitioning into a new career post-soccer and getting into acting (00:15:38), playing recreationally now, and trying to turn off that competitive edge (00:20:42), getting into scuffles during his playing days and MLS war stories (00:28:24), hi

Even before she was making incredible penalty saves in heated rivalry matches, we knew that San Diego Wave's Kailen Sheridan was a baller. One of the top goalkeepers in the NWSL and a reigning gold medalist with the Canadian national team, Sheridan has been on our radar for quite some time. So when she stopped Savannah McCaskill's penalty shot in the 74th minute of the most recent Chanclasico rivalry match against Angel City FC, it wasn't that much of a surprise. (It didn't make it any less impressive, however.) Now in her sixth year in the NWSL, we talk to Sheridan about her gold medal experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (02:10), the CanWNT - USWNT rivalry and winning the top goalkeeper award at the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship (16:06), the mental side of goalkeeping (18:56), playing alongside well established stars with the CanWNT (25:18), the Canadian men's national team and the upcoming Qatar World Cup (29:19), the Equal Pay settlement recently signed by the USWNT and the push to do something similar in

It's another rookie on the show! For the third straight week, we have a first-year player looking to make their mark on their respective league. After Chicago Red Stars' Sam Fisher and Portland Timbers' Justin Rasumssen, Nashville SC center back Ahmed Longmire joins the Washed-Up Crew in search of that not-so-elusive Urban Pitch boost. Longmire joins Ramsey Abushahla and special guest co-host Brigitte Flores to discuss growing up in Las Vegas and inside tips for a Vegas trip (01:19), his college experience and transferring from Utah Valley to UCLA (04:47), getting drafted and making a transition to the pro game (13:46), his thoughts on MLS as a whole (22:00), his time on loan with Orange County SC, and his infamous red card (23:25), making his return to Nashville and his impending MLS debut (29:56), the dynamic within the club and fanbase (32:34), and the nightlife in Nashville and what he gets up to off the pitch (35:13), before going through Brigitte's rapid fire round (49:45). This podcast was supported by

City booooooys! The ubiquitous rally cry has connected a network of like-minded individuals, most of whom have the latest Drake and Jack Harlow albums at the top of their most listened to playlists. Those just happen to be two of Portland Timbers defender Justin Rasmussen's favorite artists, so when he returned the rally call it was really no surprise. The Las Vegas native is in his first professional season with the Portland Timbers, where he's seen time with both the first team and Timbers 2 in MLS Next Pro. He's shown plenty of promise as well, from scoring a banger of a goal in preseason to making a string of first team starts in May. Rasmussen joins the Washed-Up Crew to discuss how Las Vegas is a sneaky good soccer town (00:01:54), going the college route to getting drafted in MLS (00:03:56), differences between training in college vs. the pros (00:07:30), going to Bishop Gorman, a nationally recognized high school (00:09:14), the soccer-baseball team beef (00:15:00), getting adjusted to life in MLS (00

An athlete's rookie season is an eye-opening experience. In many cases, they go from being the best player on their amateur team to a new face fighting for a role in the pros. Chicago Red Stars midfielder Sam Fisher knew she was up for the challenge of making the jump to the pro ranks, and she's adjusted nicely to her new home. Across 11 appearances and four starts, Fisher has contributed a goal and an assist apiece in her debut campaign with the Red Stars, who are among the many NWSL teams log-jammed in the playoff hunt. Playing alongside the likes of Mallory Pugh, Morgan Gautrat, and Dani Colaprico, Fisher is among good company, and has taken the mentorship of her fellow teammates to heart. In the latest episode of the Urban Pitch Podcast, she joins the Washed-Up Crew to discuss growing up in Simi Valley and attending Grace Brethren high school (01:20), transitioning to the college game at Notre Dame and playing college sports during COVID (07:15), entering the NWSL draft and realizing that going pro was a

It's hot in LA! From the actual weather to recent fights at the LAFC game, the temperature has been rising across the Southland as the summer draws to an end. In the latest episode of the Urban Pitch Podcast, the Washed-Up Crew and special guest co-host and friend of the show Brigitte Flores discuss the intra-LAFC fan fights (03:24), the rising tide behind Angel City FC (10:38), how Angel City FC has inspired Brigitte as a female athlete and sports fan (12:30), LAFC's fantastic season and the stakes for the rest of the year (19:07), the MLS Playoffs system and having a unique format of play in American soccer vs. conforming to the rest of the world (24:20), the new USMNT World Cup kit and some of our favorite designs from years past (30:12), ranking the different tailgates we've been to and what we look for in a good tailgate (40:01), and the go-to postgame routine (48:57). This podcast was supported by Bet Online and The Football Boutique. Cast Hosts: Ramsey Abushahla & Julio Monterroza Producer: Roy Cho