Beyond the 90 Podcast

A quick look at player movement within the USL Championship this off-season and a discussion of how the impasse over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is impacting roster decisions so far.

Going back to 1998 with a few exceptions in between people who cover the US men’s national team have generally assumed the US is better than the teams they are drawn against in the World Cup and promote the idea that the group they’re put into is “easy“.

We go through the history of this because While we’re hearing the rhetoric about the group the US has been drawn into in 2026, We must remember this is an old story that often doesn’t play out as anticipated by many.

As earlier reported by our Alex Ashton on this site, major changes have come to the US Open Cup

In my recent Video, I have discussed the 16 Amateur teams who have officially qualified for the 2026 U.S. Open Cup Proper Tournament and the other 16 clubs who have qualified from USL League 2, National Premier Soccer League, and the UPSL Spring Season Champion.

Qualification is done, so let’s wait for the new year to come and see when U.S. Soccer will make the dates for the rounds proper and the draw for those rounds.

A deeper dive on the current state of play as USL spouts rhetoric about first division and pro/rel while nickel and diming player and not providing the best platform for owners.

Jonathan Wilson needs no introduction to football fans across the globe. His epic 2008 work Inverting the Pyramid discussed the tactical evolution of the sport and is a basic introduction for discussion about the beautiful game. His writing with The Guardian, editorship of The Blizzard and his writing of several other books on topics such as Eastern Europe, Argentina, Brian Clough and Barcelona are legendary. He’s recently penned an epic book about the history of the World Cup and all of its political/societal intrigue, The Power and the Glory, which we will dive into later this week or early next week with a podcast.

Jonathan also has his own Substack, linked below

Jonathan Wilson needs no introduction to football fans across the globe. His epic 2008 work Inverting the Pyramid discussed the tactical evolution of the sport and is a basic introduction for discussion about the beautiful game. His writing with The Guardian, editorship of The Blizzard and his writing of several other books on topics such as Eastern Europe, Argentina, Brian Clough and Barcelona are legendary. He’s recently penned an epic book about the history of the World Cup and all of its political/societal intrigue, The Power and the Glory, which we will dive into later this week or early next week with a podcast.

Jonathan also has his own Substack, linked below

On this edition of The Third Half, Kartik and Johnathan take a look at the USL Conference finals. Can Rhode Island make it 6 in the road in the Eastern Conference over the last 2 years? Can New Mexico stop the FC Tulsa free kick express?

We take a look at where these finals can be won and give our predictions on who makes the USL Championship Final. Will that final start at 10 am or 11 am local time?

As always, thank you for your support of Beyond the 90.

How big is this rivalry?

On this playoff preview edition of The Third Half:

Quick thoughts on Tony Scholes’s hiring as President of USL Division One

Thoughts on Liam Fox’s hiring as Sporting Jax’s coach to lead the men’s side next season.

Reaction as Wilmer Cabrera and James Chambers are both out of their coaching jobs. Stephen Hogan departs as sporting director in Colorado Springs as well.

USL Championship Conference Semi-Final previews:

Is it possible to see a 7 v 8 in the Eastern Conference Final?

Does the set piece undo FC Tulsa against Phoenix Rising?

How much does Christopher Hegardt’s absence hurt Orange County?

As always, thank you for your support of The Third Half and Beyond the 90.