Milan Obsession

Milan's fortunes are taking an upturn, no matter how briefly, just in time to celebrate the 120th birthday of the club. We talked about all of the things going on at Milan, including recent matches as well as our favorite memories. Happy 120th Milan!

For such an epic podcast, and with Jonathan on vacation, I had to find epic guests, so of course I invited Dave and Angie from @MilanClubPhilly. Follow them on Twitter and Instagram @MilanClubPhilly, and follow Angie on Twitter @AngieFante.

• Lightning Round: Quick favorites

• News of the Week: Lega Serie A leadership, epic smacktalk, injury, racism, Bennacer, sports bar, Sport for All
• Match Reviews: talking the recent match
• Happy 120 th Birthday Milan: celebrations and looking back
• Coming Up: upcoming matches

Thanks again to Dave and Angie for the great convo, please give them a follow: @MilanClubPhilly on Twitter and also on Instagram, and Ange is on Twitter @AngieFante.

During the International Break, there is less Milan to talk about, but that doesn't stop the media from spewing rumors and "news." Amongst their finest work, there were plenty of tell-all interviews with ex-Milan people who have nothing better to do than talk because they are unemployed. So instead, this time around, we gave more fans a chance to shape the conversation.

Filtering the hysteria, Jonathan and I talked about:

• News of the Week: Subs, partnerships, third generation Milan, agent swap, coach choices, fighting racism sitting down, jail time, retirement tears, virtual coach
• Match Reviews: talking the recent match
• Questions from Obsessed Fans: answering listener questions
• Coming Up: upcoming matches

If you read what the media are writing about Milan, you'll know that Milan as a club has died 29 times in the past two weeks, and the world has also ended multiple times, too. Social media has created a level of hysteria around Milan that makes the Y2K conspiracy theorists look sane and stable. Amongst the turmoil, there are actually some positives and signs of progress, but you have to look past the distraught voices in order to see the calm in the storm.

Filtering the hysteria, Jonathan and I talked about:

• News of the Week: New channel, stadium update, expecting, end of the world agent, Cutrone #NeverForget, new book, injury update
• Match Reviews: talking recent matches and Pioli
• Management, Money, and More: latest info on the business side
• Coming Up: upcoming matches

After the Giampaolo experiment ended in tragedy and 15 dropped points, we were more than happy to usher in the Pioli Era. With immediate improvement in play, it was a lot easier to swallow dropping two points against Lecce. Off the pitch, however, there was shocking financial news, so the harrowing experience of being a Milan fan still continues, despite improvements on the pitch.

To talk about the issues on and off the pitch, we needed a lifelong Milan fan. So of course we asked Francesco, the president of the Curva Sud America. You can follow him on Twitter @FrancescoPetra8. We talked about:

• Lightning Round: quick faves
• News of the Week: Ciao Giampaolo, welcome Pioli, Caldara is back, new babies, UEFA ban, Golden Boy, deep lagoon, fighting racism
• Match Reviews: talking recent match
• Finances: Shocking deficit, increased costs, decreased revenue
• Pioli: discussing the new mister
• Coming Up: upcoming matches

Thanks again to Francesco for helping us welcome in the Pioli era. Follow him on Twitter @FrancescoPetra8 for all of the updates from the Curva Sud America.

With the shockingly poor results, the horrific discipline issues, and the indescribable lineups, Giampaolo's future at Milan is the center of much discussion. We talked about everything at Milan, but especially the theory that we have all been subjected to intentional pain.

Things have just gone from bad to worse, so we wanted some fresh perspective. We invited Adam to join us, of amazing graphic design fame. Follow him on Twitter @AdamFrassinoro and scroll through his timeline to check out his work. In spite of our suffering, we discussed:

• Lightning Round: quick faves
• News of the Week: Police ban, Tapiro d'Oro, U21 Team of the Week, Sassuolo loss, racism, Quote of the Week
• Match Reviews: talking recent performances

• Stadium: The Cathedral vs. The Rings of Milano

check out both projects at nuovostadiomilano.com

• Giampaolo: discussing his future at Milan
• Coming Up: International break

Thanks again to Adam for some fantastic conversation in spite of our circumstances. Follow him on Twitter @AdamFrassinoro and check out his amazing football graphics.

The only thing worse than losing the Derby is having to record a podcast after losing the Derby. But in hindsight, it helped to look at what is going on at the club and how the team are playing. It also helped to put things into perspective, looking at the big picture. Or maybe to make things less clear, I'm not sure. All I know is that Milan seem dazed and confused.

With our season starting out so poorly, we needed an expert to help us look at what is going on, so we asked the best: David. You can follow him on Twitter @DavidLSwan, the L is for Legend. This time around, we discussed:

• Lightning Round: quick faves
• News of the Week Month: Shirt sponsors, youth, stadium, congrats, record scoring, ban, racism, Quote of the Week
• Match Reviews: talking recent performances
• Giampaolo: madness
• Milan's Wage Bill: good news
• Coming Up: upcoming fixtures

Thanks again to David for a lowering himself to our level. Follow him on Twitter @DavidLSwan. Now. You won't regret it.

Some people don't have any idea why I hate Inter so much. It goes well beyond sport, it's not just a cross-town rivalry for me. Most people don't seem to know or remember the events of 2006 and the scandal known as Calciopoli. Fewer people know Inter's role in this scandal, let alone how they benefited from it. So with the Derby on the horizon, this podcast is all about why I hate Inter.

Jonathan was the mastermind behind this special podcast, and he was patient enough to listen to my ranting. We talked about:

• Calciopoli: who was involved, who was punished and why, the legal shortcomings, the people behind the scandal, the "Paper Scudetto," why the injustices haven't been corrected, and the impact on Serie A
• Inter and Racism: the latest douchebaggery
• Coming up: upcoming matches

After all of the excitement of summer and the optimism surrounding an apparently solid mercato, Milan fell flat on their face in their opening match of the season. There are plenty of questions about the mercato, the coach, the system, the players, and more. So we had plenty to discuss, even if the news wasn't good.

Questioning everything this time around, Jonathan did our best to cover all things Milan, including:

• News of the Week: New app, player presentation, Special Team Legends, Cutrone's words
• Match Reviews: talking the last two matches
• Mercato: rumors, players in and players out
• Coming up: upcoming friendlies

We've welcomed new players. We've seen the friendlies. And with the season set to kick off in less than two weeks, there are just a few loose ends to tie up. This is the time of the year to assess not only how far we've come, but to look ahead at where we are going. Time to talk about those summer dreams.

For some fresh perspective, Jonathan and I reached out to a new guest, Martino. You can follow Martino on Twitter @MartinoPuccio. You can also listen to his takes on the world of football on Soccer Showdown on both iTunes and Soundcloud. This time around, we discussed:

• Lightning Round: quick faves
• News of the Week: Important partnerships, the shaking San Siro, pricey kits, Polish icon, Dida is back
• Match Reviews: talking friendlies and performances
• Mercato: players in and out and dream signings

Thanks again to Martino for a fun podcast. Follow him on Twitter @MartinoPuccio. You can also listen to his takes on the world of football on Soccer Showdown on both iTunes and Soundcloud.

Watching all of the fun that Milan supporters had in the United States this past week with the club forced me to record this bonus podcast. We talked about all of the important topics for fans: spirit animals, shoelaces, stadium bids, socks, and of course, Cutrone. This episode was all about how it is to be a fan, learning from two of the best.

Of course, if you want some of the best fans in the world, you go to a Milan Club. And not just any club, but Milan Club Philly. I went straight to the top, with the always gracious President, David, and his clever First Lady, Angie. You can follow them on Twitter @MilanClubPhilly, on Facebook MilanClubPhilly, and Instagram MilanClubPhilly. You can also follow Angie on Instagram AngieFante. Together, we discussed:

• Lightning Round: quick faves
• News of the Week: Piatek's hair; stadium talk, Serie A fixtures, Pictionary
• Match Review/Experiences: talking Milan-Benfica and meeting people
• New Kits: we all weigh in on the new away kit
• Mercato: players in and out, losing Cutrone support group

Thanks again to David and Angie for sharing their experiences and wisdom. You can follow them on Twitter @MilanClubPhilly, on Facebook MilanClubPhilly, and Instagram MilanClubPhilly. You can also follow Angie on Instagram AngieFante.