3rd Degree the Podcast

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, both Peter Welpton and Dan Crooke are out for the Thanksgiving Holidays, so Buzz Carrick is left to fly solo. Thankfully, Buzz made a call to the pen to bring in the lefty, FCD observer and and MLS capologist, Arman Kafai. So get ready, FC Dallas fans, for 90 minutes of intense soccer talk as Buzz and Arman get into salary cap, roster moves, MLS models, and the direction of the club.

And if you are fan of the other pro soccer teams in town, don't get too upset. None of them are playing this week. 

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dan Crooke, and Buzz Carrick - are waiting for FC Dallas roster moves. So in the meantime, they dig into the massive MLS news: the calendar flip and the changes to the Apple TV deal. 

Dallas Trinity grabbed a big win at Spokane, spurred by the outstanding play of Foster in net and two teenage goal scorers. Can Trinity become a leader in this league in the next wave of talent and keep some of these outstanding Dallas kids?

Atlético Dallas dropped a 3rd kit. The kings of merch gave fans another good one while still a year from playing. 

And finally, the MASL season begins in 10 days, so poor one out for the Dallas Sidekicks. They'll be missed. 

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dan Crooke, and Buzz Carrick - dig into the FC Dallas offseason plan. What's next?  New tactics, new shape? What's the #1 must-do signing... and then what will they do? New DP or no? Two new DPs?

Dallas Trinity is a mess, falling to 8th in a 9-team league.
Is Atletico Dallas getting a training ground?

And who the heck is Rodeo Soccer Club?

Music by Pappy Check.

This week, on a marathon edition of 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dan Crooke, and Buzz Carrick - dig deep on the FC Dallas elimination game from the 2025 playoffs. There was so much good on display with just a bit of bad at the very end. Still, the display was inspiring in many ways, and yet still sad for a great many fans.

So the next season is upon us, and that means it's time to kick it all off with our annual "Dump or Keep" game, as your hosts run through the roster and tell you who should stay and who should go. 

Plus, Dallas Trinity is back at it against DC Power to kick off a 6-of-7-at-home stretch. 

And Buzz talked to Texoma FC owner Ben Watson about what's next for the team. 

 Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dan Crooke, and Buzz Carrick - try to get cathartic about the most comprehensive defeat in franchise history. (Yes, seriously.) What went wrong? Was anything good?  Just how in the world does FCD compete with this Vancouver team? Can a few tweaks get them back into this thing?

Dallas Trinity is back in action this weekend, sitting in 4th place on PPG.

The season ended for Texoma FC and North Texas SC in very negative ways. 

And is anything happening with the two forthcoming USL sides? 

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast... playoffs!!! Your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dan Crooke, and Buzz Carrick - talk all things FC Dallas and the playoffs. How did the Burn save the season? How did they win in Vancouver, missing all those pieces? Can they keep winning? Where there's a Quill, there's a will! Sarver, Collodi, Julio, Cappis!  Now it's playoff time and the Burn go again against... *checks notes* Vancouver... 

But that's not all, Dallas Trinity smashed all kinds of records with 22 thousand at the Cotton Bowl against Club America. There's a lot of season left for the Golden Girls.

North Texas SC was in a playoff battle, which wasn't looking good as the pod was recorded.
Texoma FC fought hard in their penultimate game of 2025.
And Garland is building the same thing without Atletico Dallas that they were going to build with Atletico Dallas. 

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton and Buzz Carrick (no Dan Crooke) - break down the meltdown in LA - the red card, the brain farts, the mistakes - how it all could have been prevented, quality Quill moves, and what's left in playoff scenarios. And who the heck will play in the now massive season final in Vancouver this weekend?  FCD sure has put itself in a bind.

Dallas Trinity's road woes continue, but the State Fair Classic is up next, and that should be tons of fun. 

North Texas SC has its playoff opener this Sunday at "The Town." Could Sam Sarver play back-to-back games on Saturday/Sunday?

Texoma FC won their final home game but were eliminated from the playoffs.

And Buzz floats a name for an ambitious, statement-setting coach hire for Atletico Dallas. No, this isn't a news dump; it's just an on-fire coach idea.

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dan Crooke, and Buzz Carrick - go long on the FC Dallas game and how they got to this point. How did the Burn go from being one of the worst in MLS to one of the best... or at least hottest? Lucho Acosta, Christian Cappis, Oz Urhoghide, and even a tactical change by Coach Eric Quill. Petar Musa might break the single-season scoring record. FCD goes against the Galaxy again this weekend in a must-win. Matt Hedges retired. Did Paxton Pomykal get a curtain call? Oh, and Buzz answers a couple of fan questions from 3rd Degree's Discord. 

Plus, Dallas Trinity enjoyed, one assumes, a weekend off. They have Spokane next and then the big State Fair Classico.

Sam Sarver had a hat trick for North Texas SC to get them into the playoffs.
Texoma FC drew and fell to 12th.
Dallas Atletico hosted Carli Lloyd, not that anyone knew about it.

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dan Crooke, and Buzz Carrick - dig into the entertaining 2-2 draw at Portland, a quality point on the road. Jackson & Musa led the way, and there was plenty of good and a little not as great, but an overall good game. A Galaxy double is next before the Burn finish at Vancouver. So, will FC Dallas make the playoffs or not? Can they get it done? 

Dallas Trinity got wrecked, Buzz has a few thoughts. Maybe a week off will do the Golden Girls some good.

North Texas SC continues to play a bunch of kids (that's good) and remains in the last playoff spot (that's also good).  

Atletico Dallas had their training center deal with the Garland collapse. Your trio dissects.

Texoma FC lost, made a big email oopsie, and Buzz has an interesting sourced tidbit on what may be in the Red Birds' future.

And the first confirmed team for the Dallas Cup 2026 dropped.

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, FC Dallas is on fire!  Your hosts - Peter Welpton and Buzz Carrick (Dan Crooke is on an excused absence and not injured) - enjoy the current form of the Burn.  Musa, Farrington, Urhoghide, Ramiro, Moore, Kamungo, Cappis... so many dudes are showing up, and Los Toros are 3-0-3 over the last 6. Don't look now, but your local MLS side is in the final play-in spot with 4 games to go.

Dallas Trinity got a tie on the road and remains atop the league despite the road stretch. The Golden Girls (amazing nickname) are struggling to score but are outplaying virtually everyone. 

North Texas SC got a massive road win with a bunch of kids and now sit 6th with 3 games left.

Unfortunately, the wheels are coming off in Texoma as the Red Birds fall to the worst team in USL-1.  It's not looking good up in Sherman. 

Finally, the matchups are out for the 2nd round of regional '26 Cup qualifying. 

Music by Pappy Check.