Business in this off-season is picking up for both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. With stuff going on, we weren’t able to take a break this week but that just means an extra PawedCast episode for you.

The Lions continued to shape their roster this week with multiple signings (but no new players), re-signing goalkeeper Adam Grinwis, signing defender Kyle Smith to a new one-year deal with an option year in 2024, and inking midfielder Favian Loyola to a Homegrown Player contract. These weren’t the kinds of signings that will grab headlines but they were necessary to add some meat to the roster’s bones.

There was a trade as well, as Orlando City sent midfielder Andres Perea to the Philadelphia Union for a good chunk of Garber Bucks. Perea seemed more of a fish out of water in 2022 than in previous years when he had a better-defined role and he didn’t seem well-suited to being the backup to Mauricio Pereyra, so it’s a fresh start for the 22-year-old who could still develop into a good player. The Lions made a decent deal and slashed another $250,000 off the books. Will that GAM be used toward re-signing Pedro Gallese? Adding a replacement midfielder? We’ll have to wait and see.

The Orlando Pride took one step toward roster completion for 2023 by re-signing defender Carrie Lawrence to a two-year deal. The Orlando native and former UCF player will be in purple for the next two seasons and can hopefully continue to mature and develop as an NWSL center back.

Both the Lions and the Pride still have a lot of work to do in the lead-up to the 2023 season.

The World Cup is over.

OK, it’s not, but it kind of feels like it is for USMNT fans. The young Yanks played a spirited game against the Netherlands but couldn’t finish their chances and perhaps ran out of legs in the midfield. The Dutch punished the U.S. three of the four times the defense got caught napping and their ruthlessness was the difference in a 3-1 USMNT loss. This young team performed well and the prospects of a home World Cup in 2026 with largely this group of players is exciting.

We also dipped into our mailbag, where we were asked about our World Cup thoughts and our winter beer thoughts. If there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the next show, just ask by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC.

Programming Note: We are in our monthly off-season schedule for recording new episodes, but if the news cycle warrants it, we will of course put out new shows more frequently, as needed. In other words, we might be back in a week or a month.

Stay safe and enjoy the show!

Here’s how No. 319 went down:

0:15 - Orlando City’s off-season continued with a new Homegrown signing, two guys from the 2022 squad returning, and the departure of a young midfielder.

14:32 - The Pride would like you to know they do intend to sign some players this off-season. Or at least re-sign some players.

28:44 - Mailbagbox time!

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