Fly Bats, fly! Gotham FC won their second NWSL title on Saturday, squeaking past the Washington Spirit 1-0 on a miracle goal from Rose Lavelle in the second half. Did the Spirit deserve to lose? Did Gotham deserve to win? What ultimately separated the two sides, how should they view their seasons as a whole?

Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for only $6/month to get exclusive bonus content, including the show ad-free!

Like & subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eli Elbogen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The moment has finally come! In the now-most-played fixture in NWSL—and in what may now finally be called a true rivalry—the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC face each other in San Jose for all the marbles. The guys hung out at each team's training to figure out who has the edge. The projections make Gotham slight favorites, so why do our guts tell us the Spirit have the advantage? They try to make sense of it all.

Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for only $6/month to get exclusive bonus content, including the show ad-free!

Like & subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eli Elbogen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yael Averbuch West will be the first to tell you she didn't fully grasp what the job of General Manager would entail when Gotham FC tapped her for the post. Four years and a Championship trophy later, Gotham finds itself knocking on the door of another title. Averbuch West sat down with the guys to share her evolution as a GM, the club's evolution from where they were, and what she has attempted to instill in Gotham at every level.

Patreon is unpaywalled this month! If you have enjoyed these bonus episodes, ⁠subscribe for only $6/month⁠ to get exclusive bonus content, including the show ad-free!

Like & subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eli Elbogen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington Spirit GM Mark Krikorian stepped down from his position back in March, but instead of rushing to find a replacement, owner Michele Kang entrusted the front office to two of Krikorian's protegées, interim GM Nathan Minion and sporting director James Hocken. How did Minion and Hocken navigate the at-times rough seas that was the 2025 season, and how have they continued to shape the organizational philosophy of the Spirit over the last eight months? Nathan and James sat down with the guys to talk all about their journeys, and how the Spirit ended up contending for a title for the second straight year.

Patreon is unpaywalled this month! If you have enjoyed these bonus episodes, subscribe for only $6/month to get exclusive bonus content, including the show ad-free!

Like & subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eli Elbogen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was more than 90 minutes of dross, capped by a moment of magic: 2023 NWSL champs Gotham FC squeaked past 2024 champs Orlando Pride thanks to Jaedyn Shaw's free kick wizardry and little else. Neither team played well. How much does that inform Orlando's offseason outlook? How can Gotham find the juice to get past a peaking Washington Spirit in the Championship game? The guys muse over all of it.

Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for only $6/month to get exclusive bonus content, including the show ad-free!

Like & subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eli Elbogen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Washington Spirit are headed to their second straight NWSL Championship game on the heels of a commanding performance against a depleted Portland Thorns side. Were Washington good, or were Portland bad? What will the Thorns need to do in the offseason to get back to the playoffs? And what do Trinity Rodman's contract negotiations tell us about the state of the NWSL's ability to retain top talent?

Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for only $6/month to get exclusive bonus content, including the show ad-free!

Like & subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eli Elbogen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our second semifinal preview looks at the other two recent champs, Orlando and Gotham. Gotham has the better and deeper roster, but are they invincible? Orlando still has the core of their world-class defense, but can it slow down the likes of Jaedyn Shaw and Gabi Portilho? Will Esther be available from first whistle, or could she be a late-game changer? The guys tease out all the possible scenarios.

Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for only $6/month to get exclusive bonus content, including the show ad-free!

Like & subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eli Elbogen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first of our two semifinal previews drills down on the Portland Thorns coming to Audi Field to try and force an upset on the Washington Spirit. The only trouble is that Washington now has the depth the Thorns are so sorely lacking. How can Olivia Moultrie and co. fight uphill against the most complete remaining attack in the NWSL playoffs?

Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for only $6/month to get exclusive bonus content, including the show ad-free!

Like & subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eli Elbogen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Patreon feed is out from behind the paywall this month! ⁠Join for only $6/month⁠, where you'll also get the main feed (audio & video) ad-free!

On this week's bonus episode, we were thrilled to welcome back coach and broadcaster Jill Loyden to the show to break down the year that was in NWSL goalkeeping, drilling down deep on the playoff performances from Aubrey Kingsbury, Lorena, Claudia Dickey, and the rest of the gang. If you love a good penalty shootout chat, this is the episode for you!

Like & subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eli Elbogen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There was only one NWSL quarterfinal that wrapped in regulation time, but it wasn't exactly a classic. The Pride's early goal let them wait Seattle's anemic offense out en route to a 1-0 victory. Was this Seattle's best performance of the year? Did Orlando offer enough to deserve the win? The guys tease out all the details.

Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for only $6/month to get exclusive bonus content, including the show ad-free!

Like & subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ page and watch the first volume of our Anatomy of series!

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Art by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eli Elbogen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices