FCFC Podcast | LAFC | It Never Rains LA

The backyard of Budlong West, was the hollowed ground of FCFC's birthplace, pan dulce and Black & Gold lore. Against all odds, Budlong East — in Kamakura Japan — is slowly, surely, stilly making its own forays into the Black & Gold universe. Stars align to put Pat, Walter, and Ippei into Dweez's home in Japan's shogun capital. Slim and Josh are missed as this impromptu crew has a watch party and talks Travis and Japan and Travis Japan amongst so much more in this half-hour of FCFC renaissauce.

Have you ever dreamed of visiting Los Angeles for an Away Day? Are your friends suffering elsewhere asking you what to do when they come to town for a match? Do you live in Los Angeles and are looking for the best way to spend a 72-hour football-heavy weekend? Today is your day. Slim, Spice & Dweez are back at it with another Transpacific pod. This time, we go "oops-all-recos" on the mic and delve out the details on where to stay, how to get around, which beaches to hit, and of course which food and drink are worth the stomach space with the clock ticking on your visit to Los Angeles. As Dweez prepares to board a plane for his first visit home since moving to Japan, you can find him and the boys in the streets taking their own advice over the coming days as you pump this episode in your ears. A Los Angeles hit-list for the football lover: enjoy your 72 Hours in LA.

What happens when Black Army member & LAFC supporter Q sees that FCFC has a host stationed in Kamakura? He reaches out with an idea to hit up the Yokohama Derby when he's in town. This episode retraces their experience of a J League Derby on a rainy April evening in Yokohama, Japan. We get into how he got into LAFC, how he got into the J League and some advice for those interested in visiting Japan. Another shotgun/soundscape experience brought to you by FCFC — and don't worry Dweez misses Slim and Spice on the pod more than you do —but the three amigos will be back soon enough.

A classic FCFC shotgun/travel/soundscape pod experience, brought to you by the good city of Seoul. Dweez visits capital of Korea for the first time and takes in the K League opening weekend courtesy of good friend and frequent guest of the pod Ben Chi. They visit the incomparable World Cup Spa Land at the stadium following the match and let the salt room take the mic. There is food, tea, coffee, some wall running and plenty more on this expansive edition of FCFC, a pod without borders and we hope you too get to visit Seoul soon.

Slim, Spice & Dweez beam themselves up to the digital backyard where they discuss the run up to LAFC's 6th season, Kamakura International FC, and debate Super Bowl halftime dance requirements. Essentially, it's all you've come to love from the FCFC gang albeit with a little grainy audio on the part of the Japan based member of the trio. Come one, come all, come have a laugh at our expense.

**Here is the link to the FCFC spinoff Tea W/ Dweez Newsletter described in segment 3: https://teawithdweez.substack.com/

Gather around one and all, the FCFC family bids adieu to the birthplace of the pod, a slab of land steeped in Black & Gold lore, a place with more memories than we can pack into a single episode: the backyard in Exposition Park's Budlong Avenue. Recorded in December before the World Cup Final, we reflect on our varied Qatar experiences, and say goodbye to a place that gave us so much.

In the midst of LAFC's MLS Cup playoff run—the one that resulted in the club's first MLS Cup championship in extraordinarily dramatic fashion—Josh, Slim, and Dweez welcome Debo of Expo Originals and Tailgate Churrasco fame to the backyard. We talk Brazilian football, the kinds of things that get allegedly passed around the North End, and the forthcoming World Cup hosted in Qatar. There are numerous valid and important reasons for not going or supporting this tournament and for those that are going we ask them to stay safe and keep asking questions. Keep your Championship Glow going all winter ya'll.

Join the FCFC family on an agave tour. This is an adventure through the history of tequila from the fields of Jalisco to the Backyard. Drink and talk all things booze with us and the North End's spirit shaman, Jonathan Reimer on our second installment with the Boozologist himself.

Cheers: help our Mo's Futsal Court and some other good causes by picking up a bottle of any three of the limited edition D9U tequila highlighted in the episode at Flask Fine Wines in Studio City for your MLS Cup and Holiday festivities: https://flaskfinewines.com/collections/juegos-mexicanos-district-9-ultras-exclusive-limited-edition-tequilas

Spirits in order of appearance:

1. Fortaleza Still Strength Blanco

2. Juegos Mexicanos D9U Blanco

3. Tequila Ocho Reposado

4. Juegos Mexicanos D9U Reposado

5. The Bad Stuff Extra Añejo

6. Juegos Mexicanos D9U Añejo Ultra Cristalino

7. Luneta Pechuga de Mole Pueblano

8. Private bottling of Pechuga de Conejo from Durango

Raised in East Hollywood, multitalented musician, artist, and entrepreneur Shavarsh "Shavo" Odadjian describes his experiences growing up on North Kingsley Drive. We get into his experiences growing up Armenian-American in 80s and 90s Los Angeles, his long-distance skateboarding commutes to Venice, and, of course, his path to becoming the bassist and songwriter for iconic LA band System of a Down. Touching on how he's crystalizing his cannabis enthusiasm with his brand 22Red, we also get into how his LAFC-anthem "Reppin' The City" (ft. Cypress Hill & DJ Flict) came about and his future musical explorations with his North Kingsley project.

Yahoo Sportswriter Andy Deossa joins us in the backyard to give us insight on covering the LA sports scene as a Colombian American journalist. Andy mostly waxes poetic about his true love for Independiente Medellín and his unfortunate affections for Boston-area sports teams.