Defenders of the Banc - The LAFC Podcast

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It’s Episode 108, and what a way to spend a Monday! The Black and Gold continue to soldier on in the COVID Cup. This time, the road runs right through the Emerald City, by way of Orlando, of course. LAFC takes down Seattle, 4-1, in what might be their best performance of the young season. 

First, it’s a This Day in LAFC History that includes a “Wait, What?!” moment for possibly the very first time, as we harken back to the days of yore and the hiring of the best manager in MLS, Bob Bradley. It’s hard to believe that it was 3 years ago that Bob took the wheel of this beautiful, Black and Gold ship. After some LAFC injury news (Andy Najar, already?), it’s time to talk the COVID Cup. 

Yes, there have been breakout stars of this tournament (Akinola and Hasal). Yes, there have been surprise teams, both good (FC Cincinnati, Orlando City) and bad (Atlanta, Carson). But no team came in with higher expectations than LAFC, and they have yet to disappoint. LAFC dominated the first 15 minutes of the match, breaking through on a PK from Rossi in the 13th. Right before the half, Latif Blessing doubles the lead, 2-0, and the rout was on. 

Of course, LAFC couldn’t make things easy, conceding in the 75th. There would be no collapse on this night, however! Rossi would add a second in the 83rd minute, and the goal that many were hoping for came in the 89th, as Brian Rodriguez ended Seattle’s stay in Orlando to complete the win, 4-1. A great way to spend a Monday!

How did Filly become “Filly-strodamus”? Why was Scarf completely mesmerized by the advertising ribbon around the pitch? Most importantly, what suggestion from the Defenders could make the LAFC Foundation HUGE amounts of money? You’ll have to listen to Episode 108 to find out. Enjoy!

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Benny Feilhaber.

Open Cup. Confederations Cup. Gold Cup. MLS Cup. World Cup. The Olympics.

MLS. Superligaen. Bundesliga. Premiership. Champions League.

New England Revolution. Sporting Kansas City. Colorado Rapids. LAFC.

All Star. Best XI. MVP Finalist. Champion.

And now, finally, a guest on Defenders of the Banc! Filly and The Scarf sit down with the USMNT legend to discuss everything about his storied football career.

Get ready for previously untold and often re-told stories alike: His humble beginnings from Brazil to Scarsdale, New York and his mean rivalry with nearby White Plains, braving it on the mean streets of Irvine, California with the Strikers, walking on to the squad at UCLA while dealing with bully Jordan Harvey, and roughing it on the second team in Hamburg.

Benny tells the tale of “peaking” at the 2007 Gold Cup at the ripe old age of 22, rubbing elbows with LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Kobe Bryant in Beijing, his storied run at Overland Park, hoisting Open Cup and MLS Cup trophies, becoming a part of LAFC’s historic inaugural team, and finally calling it a career in 2020. It’s an hour-plus with the outspoken icon of American soccer.

Hear stories and insights on Zlatan Ibrahimovic (complete with some colorful language!), Lionel Messi, Bob Bradley, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Latif Blessing, Jordan Harvey, Kyle Beckerman, Dirk Nowitzki, and more!

He’s one of our own, and he’s on Episode 107 of Defenders of the Banc!

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LAFC. Portland. No love lost between these two teams who have fast become rivals. The group stage of the (Most Of) MLS Is Back tournament comes to a close with a hotly contested match between the two, ending in a draw, 2-2. 

Here on Episode 106, we break down the draw to end Group F and look ahead to a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Final, as LAFC’s Round of 16 matchup pits them against another Cascadia rival, last year’s MLS Cup winners, the Seattle Sounders. 

This Day In LAFC History sees Lee Nguyen holing one out at Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood, Mark-Anthony Kaye takes the pitcher’s mound at Dodger Stadium, and we wish a very happy birthday to LAFC’s Co-Owner Nomar Garciaparra! Nomah! 

Our “Wait, What?” moment comes off the foot of MLS legend Bradley Wright-Phillips. The boys also run a quick breakdown of the 7 other matches in the Round of 16. Vancouver? San Jose? Montreal? Orlando? FC Cincinnati? Cats and dogs, living together, mass hysteria! 

A new contender has entered the ring! We here at Defenders are proud to welcome an NWSL club to (near?) Los Angeles, Angel City FC! With the NWSL team on the horizon, we are also excited to announce the rebranding of the Center Mid Chicks podcast featuring Panda and Nina. No longer Center Mid, we are looking forward to the first episode of… ANGEL CITY CHICKS! Look for Episode 1 this weekend! 

Finally, Episode 107 will also be recorded this weekend, as Filly and Scarf are set to welcome club legend and 2018 appearances and minutes leader of the Black and Gold, the newly retired Benny Feilhaber to the podcast! From scoring one of the most memorable goals in recent USMNT history to his journey abroad and back to MLS with the Black and Gold, expect a fun episode with Benny! Thanks so much for your support and for making Defenders of the Banc "The Most LAFC Podcast on Earth!"

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Episode 105 – Diego Dazzles on Derby Day

Oh, Diego Rossi! The man who scored the first goal against the Sounders etched his name once again into the MLS history books, and he picked Derby Day in the Covid Cup to do it! 

Episode 105 of Defenders of the Banc is upon us, and, for the first time in months, the boys are together in world famous Filimonster Studios, recording together! The episode kicks off with a soliloquy of epic proportions by Filly, fresh out of the hospital where he clearly had a ton of time on his hands. After a short history lesson from Scarf, it’s time to get right in to the Covid Cup, Group F, and LAFC’s first two games of the tournament. 

We quickly break down the 3-3 draw against the Houston Human Highlighters, including the lows of the first half, the highs of the second half, and the dynamic debut of Bradley Wright-Phillips. And, oh-by-the-way, BRIAN RODRIGUEZ FINALLY SCORED! Could the prophecy of Scarfstradamus come true? (Hint… not quite yet.) After one match day in Group F, LAFC sat tied for second behind Portland, who took down Carson, 2-1. 

However, the meat in the tasty sandwich that is Episode 105 is our breakdown of the Carson’s Derby Day Disaster. A disturbing trend for LAFC has been their tendency to fall behind early, and the same came true tonight. Just 5 minutes into the match, Latif bangs one home… for Carson. More defensive dishevelment on the back line, and LAFC is down 1-0. A pair of PK’s would follow, with both Diego Rossi and Christian Pavon slotting their chances through for a 2-1 Carson lead. A second Rossi tally just before the half would even things at 2. 

It certainly was the tale of two halves, as Diego Rossi netted another brace to put his total to FOUR goals in the match, the first LAFC player to net 4 in a match! BWP strikes again and the offensive defender, Mohamed El-Munir deposits another in his Black and Gold account. Just like that, what was a close, tight 2-2 match at the half is blown open, and LAFC takes this round of the Battle of Los Angeles, 6-2. In the process, Rossi became the first player in MLS history to be involved in 5 goals in a match... twice! As Filly so astutely asserted on this episode, “Diego Rossi is good.”

Our boys look almost assured of reaching the knockout stage of Covid Cup, needing a result against Portland, who is already in to the next round, to advance. Will Diego Rossi score again in game three of Group F? Will Rayito continue to build on a positive showing and add to his goal total? Will BWP make it three in three games? We’ll have all those answers, and a new episode of Defenders of the Banc, in just 5 days! Until then, let’s enjoy the fact that we have Diego Rossi… and no one else does!

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It’s been several months, but it looks like the MLS Is Back tournament is FINALLY set to kick off in less than 24 hours. Unless you play for FC Dallas. Or maybe Nashville SC. Or one-fifth of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Or 2019 MLS Defender of the Year Ike Opara. Or, as we learned this week, reigning MLS MVP Carlos Vela of LAFC. But other than those players (and a handful of others…), MLS Is Back!

Before the breakdown of the beginning of the tournament, it’s time to introduce the Defenders world to our brand-new member! Scarf likes to refer to him as Director of Arts and Crafts, but, really, the talent that Dexter Quinn brings to the table as our right-hand man on all things artistic is incredible. We are so happy to have Dexter on our team, and, as you can see from some of our most recent posts on social media, the guy is good!

We also take a minute to try our best at appreciating the great talents of Vince La Rosa. We wish all the best to Vince on whatever he does next, can’t wait to see him absolutely crush it in his next endeavor, and look forward to our next glass raised together. #HireVince

As we continue to celebrate Pablo Sisniega’s birthday, we delve into This Day In LAFC History, where we get BOTH a Rant With Filly and a prediction from Scarfstrodamus! What a segment! Here’s to many, many goals from Brian Rodriguez. LAFC also officially welcomes Andy Najar, courtesy of a brand new, 48-hour transfer window that ended July 7th! We explore roster options for LAFC during the COVID Cup, fresh off the revelation by Bob Bradley that Dio, BWP, and Andy Najar are all not ready to go a full 90. Will that mean more of LMU’s finest, Adrien Perez? Or will Latif Blessing reprise his role as striker? Does that mean more Cifu or Pancho? More importantly, is there any team in MLS deeper and more talented than the Black and Gold? 

We break down all three matches in LAFC’s Group Stage, including some predictions for our showdown with Carson on July 18. Does Houston pose more of a threat than we think, with a healthy Alberth Elis and others? What does two times the Chara mean for Portland? Will Chicharito record a shot-on-goal? 

In a rare feat, Filly and The Scarf find a way to work in “Three Umlauts” Niko Hämäläinen, our first-ever signing, Carlos Alvarez, and Inaugural Team member Nico Czornomaz all in the same episode! How excited is Filly for the COVID Cup? Why is Scarf fanboying over Johnny Hekker again? And who do the Defenders think will win each of the groups in the tournament? Tune in to Episode 104 to find out! Stay safe and healthy everyone!

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With an intro befitting the man, Filly and The Scarf welcome 2019 MLS Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year and LAFC's EVP and Chief Business Officer Larry Freedman to the show.

Larry dishes on all things LAFC, including the work LAFC has done and still needs to do for social change, incredible moments throughout the first two seasons, the upcoming MLS is Back tournament, and what HIS favorite moment in LAFC history is, so far. It will not surprise you. 

From lawyering it up to running the business side of the only MLS club in Los Angeles, hear Larry's journey, including his time overseeing minor league baseball teams with current owner Peter Guber! Larry is a straight shooter and an incredibly well-spoken and knowledgeable guy. He's even a huge wrestling fan, which we at Defenders LOVE! (see: the intro)

It was great to catch up with the club legend. We cannot wait until we can all be back together at the Banc, cheering on our Black and Gold. For now, it's on to the COVID Cup in Orlando! 

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15 episodes and 101 days. That’s how long it’s been since we were in the same room recording together. Much in the world has changed. Much in the world still needs to change. But as the song goes, “Reunited, and it feels so good!” Filly and the Scarf invade Culver City to record Episode 102 TOGETHER for the first time in a long time, and we couldn’t be happier. 

If you haven’t heard our interview with Adama Diomande on Episode 99, Episode 100 featuring Stix discussing the Black Lives Matter movement, or Steven Beitashour joining Filly and the Scarf on Episode 101, please go check those out! Episode 102 takes a bit of a break from the healthy interview circuit we’ve traveled over the last few episodes to focus on all the LAFC news and notes in the world over the last few weeks, and there is a lot to cover!

Yes, the COVID Cup, also known as the MLS Is Back Tournament, is the main topic of discussion. Houston, Portland, and, of course, Carson join LAFC in Group F, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. While there’s still a lot of info to be determined, like “Will Carlos Vela play?”, we break down as much info as we have leading into the group stage. Don’t worry, as we get more info about when we play our group stage matches and who will fill out our roster, we’ll be back with another episode to cover it!

The Black and Gold also welcome a new member into the fold, Andy Najar. The 2010 MLS Rookie of the Year adds depth, youth, and experience to an already excellent back line. He’ll be eligible for the COVID Cup, too!

It’s not just MLS that’s back; eMLS is coming back, too! RemiMartinn, eMLS’s 5th ranked FIFA player, is set to take on the winner of the win-and-you’re-in “Last Chance Qualifier” in the first round of the final tournament of the eMLS season. Couple this with the Sports Illustrated article on Remi, and it’s shaping up to be quite the month for Martin and LAFC Gaming!

Also on this episode, LAFC may add an Emmy to its trophy case, Dio continues to flex his gaming skills, the NWSL might actually be coming near L.A., not quite TO L.A., and free COVID testing wraps up at the Banc June 30th. Finally, PLEASE join LAFC and sign the petition to make Juneteenth a national holiday! Let’s continue to try to be the change we want to see in the world, one step at a time. 

Stay tuned for Episode 103 dropping next week, featuring yet another VERY special guest with an intro very different from anything we have done on the previous 102. As always, thank you for your support, and for taking a little time out of these crazy days we have all experienced together to give Defenders of the Banc a listen! 

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Kicking off the next hundred episodes as only we know how, The Defenders of the Banc (for however much longer we are called that!) FINALLY sit down with club legend, fan favorite, and one of the nicest, most personable guys in MLS, Steven Beitashour. 

As a member of the inaugural team in 2018, Steven Beitashour added leadership and incredible skill playing out of the back for LAFC. In 2019, Beita made more history, becoming the first defender in MLS history to record 20,000 minutes played and 35+ assists while earning a third Supporters Shield. In 2020, however, his contract was not renewed, and Beita Time is currently on hold as he looks for a new home in MLS, or abroad. 

Steven spent over an hour with Filly and the Scarf, and there was nothing they didn’t talk about. Beita dishes on playing with Chris Wondolowski, Jay Demerit, Jordan Harvey and Carlos Vela, taking on the likes of Lionel Messi in the World Cup, and lacing them up in front of the 3252 at the Banc. From the San Jose Frogs to the Black and Gold, we discuss all aspects of his career, including his plans for 2020 and beyond! We had been looking forward to this interview for months, and it’s safe to say Steven did not disappoint. We had an absolute blast talking with Beita and can’t thank him enough for sitting down with us. 

One small note: This episode was recorded before the signing of Andy Najar on June 17, 2020. With Andy playing the same position as Beita, we know that this may signal the end, or at least temporary hold, of Beita Time at LAFC, but we would still love to see Steven back, as Max Bretos would say… Back in black!

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It’s safe to say that when we started planning Episode 100, which was right around February 1st, after we recorded Episode 80, we did not see any of this coming. About one month later, a global pandemic hit the US, and the specter of coronavirus has irreversibly and, likely, permanently changed our lives. Just when we started to see a light at the end of the tunnel that we didn’t think was just another oncoming train, the shocking murder, yes, murder, of 46-year old Black man George Perry Floyd, Jr. on May 25, 2020, at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers rocked our nation to its core. 

Protests erupted in hundreds of cities here in the US and around the world, with many taking place right in our own backyards in Los Angeles. The murder of Floyd, which followed so closely on the heels of the murders of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, seems, hopefully, to be the final straw in a movement long overdue, and one that starts with three simple yet, for us at least, unimaginably complex words: Black. Lives. Matter. 

In building this platform we have over the course of 100 episodes, we have had incredible moments and shared many stories with you. We have also pledged, from the very beginning, as part of the Force for Good in the LAFC community, to do whatever we could, however we could, for whomever we could in the spirit of our club’s credo: One by one. Block by block. Street by street. Shoulder to shoulder. 

This brings us to Episode 100. Certainly not the episode we envisioned four months ago, but we believe it’s our most meaningful one we have put together. 

We are acutely aware of several facts: We are two white guys who sit in Founders Club, neither of us rich monetarily but certainly wealthy with privilege and opportunity, some of which we may have taken for granted or not even acknowledged just a few months ago. But now, that is crystal clear. We feel qualified to speak on many topics and help tell many stories, especially as they relate to the worlds of football and sports, life on each of the coasts, teaching, drinking, seizing opportunity, learning from one’s mistakes, and more. But we do not feel qualified, nor do we feel comfortable, speaking on this topic alone. 

Yes, unequivocally, we believe Black Lives Matter. We stand with the Black community and all people of color as allies and soldiers in the cause. But the story behind it, the feelings and experiences interwoven with the emotions that the Black community is feeling right now and has been for centuries? We not only need help with this message, we at Defenders of the Banc need to stop. Pause. Listen. Absorb. Think. Reflect. Learn. 

And only then, after that, can we even begin to know where to start and how to help. The one thing we are sure of is that we want to be a part of the world-changing solution as best we can. With all of that said, we asked our friend and former guest of the podcast on Episode 74, Brandon Salaam-Bailey, better known to the LAFC community as Stix, to join us today. 

Stix the founder of the Think Watts Foundation, a foundation we have highlighted many times on this podcast. He is part of the fabric of the LAFC community, not merely for his work with the Black and Gold, but for what he does for the Watts community and people across Los Angeles. Stix’s mantra of “Educating, rebuilding, and redeveloping minds and communities for the next generation of leaders” isn’t just a slogan on his website, it is the driving force behind his numerous actions. 

We are honored to once again bring on the pride of Watts, Brandon Salaam-Bailey, Stix. 

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This is normally the part where we try to come up with some clever hook to get you excited about listening to our latest episode. Here it is: ADAMA DIOMANDE IS ON DEFENDERS!!! Yes, that’s right, LAFC’s own Great One, #99, the man who registered the first hat trick in team history, the ender of Carson’s season, and the third-leading scorer all-time at LAFC, Adama Diomande sits down with Filly and Scarf for a half hour we will never forget!

We discuss his entire career: his first match at Lyn, joining Bob Bradley and taking Stabaek by storm, his time in the EPL with Hull City, and, of course, his history-making time with the Black and Gold. Dio also talks about his support from the Black and Gold faithful and in which EPL stadium he most looked forward to taking the pitch (sorry, United fans…). An avid gamer, we discuss his prowess using himself to score insane goals… with himself, his player rating, and what else he plays when not on FIFA. Oh, and, in case you forgot, “He’s not Tyler Miller!” 

You HAVE to check out Episode 99. Find out how Dio felt subbing onto the pitch before scoring the brace that would sink Carson, which athletes and clubs he follows when he’s off the pitch, how his faith guides him both on and off the pitch, and so much more! 

The first 99 episodes have been a long, strange, wonderful ride, and we really do appreciate all of our listeners, supporters, and even the haters along the way! Thank you for listening to our biggest interview yet! See you at 100!

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