RFK Refugees Podcast

Why do former DC United players start scoring the moment they leave? Jon compares the club to a car whose designer changes every 20 minutes: one wants triangle wheels, the next wants a tank, and at the end everyone blames the parts.

Jon and Ted break down a 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls in what may be the last Atlantic Cup, then a 4-1 loss at Orlando City without the suspended Lucas Bartlett.

In this episode:
- The final Atlantic Cup and that Red Bulls and DC United social media collab
- Oscar Avilez's first start, a week after the hosts asked for the kids
- Why former DC United players thrive at their next clubs
- Sean Johnson's case for a raise, and Ted's referee take on Bartlett's second yellow
- Orlando's summer signings and DC United's thin roster
- The playoff slap fest, how to measure progress, and what the hosts want to hear from René Weiler and ownership

Next match: DC United at FC Cincinnati, Wednesday, October 21, then the return match at Audi Field on Saturday, October 24.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvL286ATy64

Patreon members get the bonus segment on disappearing players, eight goals in two games, and your questions. Join at patreon.com/RFKRefugees and find everything else at https://rfkrefugees.com

Inter Miami 4, DC United 0. The game plan was gone by the second minute, and Jon and Ted are left asking a bigger question: who is actually running this club? Jon borrows an old SNL bit about a band where everyone wants to play bass. Ted says nobody is conducting the orchestra.

In this episode:

- What went wrong in Miami, from the second-minute goal to the back-post breakdowns

- Why Wednesday against the New York Red Bulls is a must-win

- Louis Munteanu's injury and Tai Baribo's cold streak

- Listener question: does ownership care, or is this just chaos from the top?

- Why the next Designated Player has to be the club's biggest signing yet

- Jon's free advice for the front office, and Ted's case for stability over another rebuild

Next match: DC United vs. New York Red Bulls at Audi Field, Wednesday, October 14.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKK314-J_mo

Patreon members get the bonus segment on the new Audi Field renderings. Join at the $5 tier and find everything else at https://rfkrefugees.com

No DPs, a 10:30 p.m. kickoff, and the best team in the West on the other side. D.C. United still left BC Place with a 3-3 draw, and Kimito Nono scored his first two MLS goals to get them there. Ted says he's the club's best summer signing since Wayne Rooney. Jon and Ted break it all down.

In this episode:

- Nono's brace, Lucas Bartlett's third goal of the season, and the Rooney comparison

- Silvan Hefti, Nono, and who starts at right back

- Andre Dozzell, Jackson Hopkins and Brandon Servania in midfield without Matti Peltola

- Nikola Markovic: center back, midfielder or striker?

- Has this performance earned René Weiler more time and more players?

- Patreon and Discord questions on the DPs, Bartlett's celebration and the playoff race

- The SC Paderborn friendly, the new MLS format and what's missing from Apple TV's coverage

Next match: D.C. United at Inter Miami, Saturday, October 10.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMQU9XbyzWk

Support the show on Patreon and find everything else at https://rfkrefugees.com

Thirty-one shots. Three and a half expected goals. A 2-1 loss at home.

D.C. United were comprehensively the better side against Charlotte and lost anyway, in a game that took a real bite out of what was left of the playoff picture. Jon and Ted give it a few days, look at the table, and work out how bad it actually is.

Louis Munteanu had the best game he has played in a D.C. shirt — ten shots on his own, three chances created, lively and dangerous on the left, and for the first time this season a player who made the people around him better. Not everyone agreed; two on target out of ten will do that. Jon's question for the frustrated: who else on this roster was taking those shots, and would they have finished them?

One of the ten came off the underside of the bar and probably crossed the line. Probably. There is no truly definitive angle, because every camera in this league is off to the side or behind, and Ted — who referees — explains exactly how confidently an angle will lie to you. Put a neutral in the VAR chair with those images and they can't tell you either. Which puts the blame on MLS: buy goal-line technology, or at minimum point a camera at the goal line. The detail that stings is that the national missed-calls show didn't even bring it up. "We don't matter at all."

D.C.'s goal was a Keisuke Kurokawa cross headed in by Lucas Bartlett, the club's third-leading scorer, which tells you where the goals come from. Charlotte's winner was Allan Saint-Maximin's first in MLS, and the guys walk through the three players who let it happen — Kimito Nono forced into a choice, Brandon Servania caught in no man's land, and Nathan Ordaz, a fresh sixty-fifth-minute substitute, jogging back while his team defended an odd-man rush.

Then René Weiler. After a season of pointing inward — at his players, at what the club spends — he pointed outward for the first time, at the replay, with enough heat that Jon figures he'd have brought a printout to the podium if Audi Field had a photo printer nearby. He also declined, pointedly, to talk about the playoffs. Jon liked seeing him defend his players. Ted read a facade starting to crack.

Plus the listener questions, which this week were all variations on the same one. Jason 1551 asks if D.C. are officially toast — not officially, but the bread is getting crispy. Luigi DeGuzman asks what's left to play for. And Brandon Zebron asks for a keep-or-replace on the entire matchday squad, which turns into the longest segment of the show: who's under contract, who's gone in December, why almost the whole bench turns over, and why Matti Peltola is probably sold in January whether anyone likes it or not.

Underneath all of it is the tiebreaker. Six wins. All those draws keep you breathing right up until they don't.

Vancouver away next, without both designated players.

• The Richmond Kickers sell their head coach mid-season — and Jon's copper wires
• DC United 1-2 Charlotte: thirty-one shots, 3.4 xG, and a home loss
• Louis Munteanu's ten shots and his best game in a DC shirt
• The people who still weren't happy, and Jon's answer to them
• Why this roster can't play like that every week
• Kurokawa to Bartlett, and a team that lives on set pieces
• Allan Saint-Maximin's first MLS goal, and the three players who let it happen
• Nathan Ordaz jogging back, and a contract that runs through 2029
• René Weiler points the finger outward for the first time all season
• "I don't want to talk about the playoffs"
• The goal that wasn't: bad angles, no goal-line technology, and a missed-calls show that skipped it
• Luigi DeGuzman: what's left in the rest of the season?
• Brandon Zebron: keep or replace, the starting eleven and the bench
• Kye Rowles, a green card, and a raise that costs less against the cap

Zero shots on goal.

Four days after beating Columbus 2-1, D.C. United went to work against an Atlanta side sitting below them in the table and produced nothing. Sloppy, disjointed, no cohesive attack. Nathan Ordaz's effort from wide was the closest thing to a chance the Black-and-Red created all night. Sean Johnson's saves and a Miguel Almirón miss from close range are the only reasons this finished 0-0 instead of as a loss.

Jon and Ted dig into why this keeps happening. João Peglow was suspended on yellow-card accumulation, leaving a midfield of Andre Dozzell, Ordaz, Kimito Nono and Brandon Servania that broke up play competently and created absolutely nothing going forward. Tai Baribo and Louis Munteanu score goals — they don't make them. Nobody on this roster makes them. That's not a bad night, that's the shape of the squad.

This was a must-win against a team below them, and everyone below D.C. gained ground. It's mid-September. Table watch officially begins.

René Weiler admitted the performance was poor, then returned — by the guys' count, roughly the fifth time — to comments about what the club spends. Jon has run out of patience with that line, given Weiler helped pick this squad. A question from Bluesky asks whether Weiler keeps his job if D.C. miss the playoffs. Both hosts say yes, and probably should: the last five D.C. head coaches have landed at roughly a 43% win rate regardless of who was in the chair. Weiler's contract runs through December 2027 and he's the highest-paid coach in club history. The real pressure arrives in the winter window, not in October.

Plus the Matti Peltola question. Benched against Atlanta, on in the second half, and the broadcast's man of the match against Columbus four days earlier. Ted's read: he doesn't fit Weiler's 4-3-3 and he's gone in January. Jon's objection: if he isn't a fit, you sell while the value is high — not after half a season rotting on the bench.

Roster movement: Conner Antley has been recalled from his loan at Tampa Bay after four starts, with no announced injury behind it. Caden Clark has been loaned out to Tacoma Defiance.

Then the story that put D.C. United on TechCrunch. The club is reported to be in talks to sell a stake in both the team and Audi Field to Collaborative Fund, the venture firm led by Craig Shapiro. MLS has not approved anything, and the league is still working out how large a private equity position it will even allow. Floated in the reporting: in-stadium placements for the firm's portfolio companies, and AI-managed fan entry times. Jon's skepticism is straightforward — an equity sale puts money in the current owner's pocket. It does not put a player on the field.

On the Spirit side: a loss to Boston Legacy FC at Audi Field, conceding twice in the final four minutes while pushing for an equalizer. Washington are still second overall. Jon's theory is a cohesion problem — a roster of stars and no club servants, which is a hard job for any coach when ownership signs everyone available. And there's a goalkeeper question waiting when Aubrey Kingsbury comes back.

Up top, Jon played inline hockey for the first time in 25 years, won, scored, then had his flight cancelled and Ubered home — turning 41 and picking hard sports on purpose. Ted refereed all weekend and is still proud of playing an advantage and then coming back for the yellow.

And the closing question: any buyer's remorse on the season tickets after a night like that? No. Now he can really yell at people.

Nobody predicted a 0-0. Jon said so on air, repeatedly, and he'd like the record to reflect that he's aware of it.

DC United held LAFC to a single shot on goal in a sold-out Audi Field, and Kimito Nono is the reason why. He took Son Heung-min out of the match so completely that LAFC eventually gave up on the matchup and moved him centrally to find him space. Keisuke Kurokawa did the same job on the other side. Between them, DC neutralized LAFC's two most dangerous attackers and dared everyone else to solve the problem. Nobody could.

The other half of the story is the one this show has been telling for months. Jackson Hopkins put the best chance of the night straight at the goalkeeper. Louis Munteanu cracked one from range that deserved better placement. And without Tai Baribo in the box, every cross DC delivered had nowhere to land.

Then there's the roster. Gabe Segal's season is over without a single DC appearance. Caden Clark's move to New York was reported as done right up until it wasn't. Nikola Markovic got two minutes and won't be trusted to start anywhere until next year at the earliest. The transfer window closes tomorrow and DC are, as Jon put it, getting thin on dudes.

Plus: every MLS team is returning to the US Open Cup, Jon buys season tickets roughly a week after telling you not to, and the guys disagree sharply about whether the Sprint Season should be a youth showcase.

The full FC Cincinnati preview is on the Patreon show.

• DC United hold LAFC to one shot on goal — and it came off a deflection
• Kimito Nono keeps Son Heung-min in his pocket for ninety minutes
• Keisuke Kurokawa's much-improved shift, plus a goal ruled offside
• Andre Dozzell keeps looking like a center back nobody predicted
• Matti Peltola's strong run and what happens when Kye Rowles returns
• Patreon question from Jacob Schultz: how did Nathan Ordaz look on his first start?
• Four chances created, a 7.1 rating — the Ordaz numbers vs. the eye test
• Jackson Hopkins' 0.64 xGOT miss and the finishing problem
• Louis Munteanu as a standalone nine without Tai Baribo
• Silvan Hefti suspended, Sean Nealis in the doghouse, contract confusion
• Nikola Markovic's two-minute cameo and No. 1 draft pick expectations
• Gabe Segal's season ends through injury
• The Caden Clark move to New York collapses
• U22 slots, international slots and the supplemental list, explained
• Deadline day predictions: one in, one out
• Why MLS moved its window behind the European window
• Every MLS team returns to the US Open Cup — round of 64, December final
• Folarin Balogun's Everton move falls through
• Jon becomes a season ticket holder days after telling everyone not to
• Bluesky question: how hard is it to sit on rumors you can't report?
• Should the Sprint Season be a youth development showcase? Jon says yes, Ted says absolutely not

The vibes are not great. DC United dropped back-to-back games — a 3-0 home loss to New England Revolution and a 3-1 loss at Charlotte FC — and Jon and Ted are here to make sense of it all.

They break down the same defensive breakdown that killed DC three times against New England, Jack Harrison's one-million-dollar destruction of DC's left side, and a Charlotte game where Louis Munteanu's goal briefly made things interesting before the wheels fell off. Kye Rowles' injury is the common denominator. The rotation — or lack of it — is the bigger conversation. And then there's Renée Weiler's post-game press conference telling fans to be more patient and more objective. Jon and Ted respond.

Also: Jacob Murrell heads to Falkirk, the transfer window's extra day, Nathan Ordaz's strange lack of minutes, and the new MLS 20-team playoff format explained.

Extended breakdown — more on Weiler, fan questions, and deeper roster talk — at the $5 tier.

• Jon goes to the Richmond Kickers game solo — the River City Red Army "farts of pine" banner
• Ted bought LAFC tickets when the vibes were good. The vibes have shifted
• DC United 0-3 New England Revolution: the same breakdown, three times
• Jack Harrison: one million dollars, two assists, completely torched DC's left side
• Kye Rowles out injured: the common denominator between both losses
• Keisuke Kurokawa trending downward after playing almost every minute
• Hosei Kijima: the week's standout
• DC United 1-3 Charlotte FC: Louis Munteanu scores, DC wake up their opponents
• Three games in a week with barely any rotation — Renée Weiler's call
• Sean Nealis: hasn't looked strong, under contract through next year
• Nikola Markovic: why isn't he starting over the midfielders at center back?
• Nathan Ordaz: did the coach even want him?
• Renée Weiler tells fans to be "more patient and more objective"
• Does Weiler have the rope to survive a playoff miss?
• Jacob Murrell heads to Falkirk — a victim of no MLS Next Pro affiliate
• The transfer window closes a day after the European window
• MLS 20-team playoff format: how it works and why they're doing it
• Relegation as the logical companion piece

🎙️ Extended breakdown at the $5 tier: patreon.com/rfkrefugees

Vamos. 🔴⚫

Storm week in Fredericksburg and Stafford pushed the show a day — power outages, spooked dogs, and flickering internet. Fitting preparation for a DC United draw.

DC picked up a point on the road against CF Montréal for their ninth draw of the season. Jon and Ted break down a game that probably should have been a loss if not for an eight-save performance from Sean Johnson. They dig into the backline setup with Kye Rowles injured and Lucas Bartlett suspended, Matti Peltola's center back experiment, Keisuke Kurokawa's rough night, Hosei Kijima's debut, and the ongoing Jackson Hopkins question. Plus the Baltimore stadium deal, DC's brutal remaining schedule, and the goalkeeper depth picture with Grant Leveille in the pipeline.

Extended breakdown — roster moves, upcoming match preview, and Patreon questions — at the $5 tier.

• Storm week: power outages, spooked dogs, show pushed a day
• DC United 1-1 CF Montréal: nine draws on the season
• Was this a point earned or two points dropped?
• The backline setup: Kye Rowles out, Lucas Bartlett suspended
• Matti Peltola at center back — pros, cons, and why it's not his natural role
• Keisuke Kurokawa's worst game in a DC United uniform
• Hosei Kijima's debut — first impressions and open questions
• Jackson Hopkins on the left: the dribbles, the decision making, and the dive
• Sean Johnson: eight saves, best performance of the year
• Grant Leveille and the goalkeeper depth picture
• The Baltimore stadium deal: dead or just resting?
• DC's brutal remaining schedule

🎙️ Extended breakdown at the $5 tier: patreon.com/rfkrefugees
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJf1fdSLUx0

Vamos. 🔴⚫

Something is different. After a 2-1 win over Toronto FC and a comeback draw against Nashville SC, Jon and Ted are feeling something unfamiliar — genuine optimism about DC United's 2026.

They break down both results, dig into what Louis Munteanu and João Peglow are bringing to the team, talk through the new signings and the competition they're adding to the squad, and get into stadium changes at Audi Field. Then it's the big league news: Don Garber riding off into the sunset after 25+ years, Larry Berg as the next MLS commissioner, Inter Miami reportedly closing in on Kevin De Bruyne, and Jon's chaotic proposal to blow up the DP rule entirely.

The extended breakdown — more DC United detail and Patreon questions — is at the $5 tier.

• Solo dad life: Jon waited for a small child to fall asleep to record this
• Ted catches the Black Keys at the Allianz Amphitheater in Richmond
• DC United 2-1 Toronto FC: strong first half, Sean Johnson man of the match
• The Nashville SC comeback draw and what it says about this team's mentality
• Louis Munteanu and João Peglow — the improvements turning heads
• New signings and the competition they bring to the squad
• Stadium changes at Audi Field
• Don Garber's legacy: from ten teams nearly folding to thirty with stadiums everywhere
• Larry Berg as next MLS commissioner — what it means for spending and the salary cap
• Inter Miami reportedly closing in on Kevin De Bruyne
• Jon's proposal: unlimited DPs, but lose three roster spots per signing

Jon and Ted discuss the return of MLS, recent player signings, and the impact of the World Cup on the league. They also explore the challenges of developing young talent and the potential for future growth in the league.

Takeaways

• MLS is back and the hosts are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season.
• The development of young talent and the impact of the World Cup on the league are key topics of discussion.

Chapters

• 00:00 MLS is Back
• 07:27 The Impact of the World Cup
• 24:04 Offseason Player Signings
• 30:19 Challenges of Developing Young Talent