This week on Soccerish, Christina and Lori are joined by former USMNT striker, CBS analyst, and “Call It What You Want” podcast host Charlie Davies for a fast, honest look at a pivotal moment in American soccer.

They preview the NWSL Championship between Gotham and Washington — two very different teams with clear strengths and real questions. Can Gotham handle Washington’s physicality? Will Ann-Katrin Berger steal the spotlight again? And is Trinity Rodman healthy enough to change the match on her own?

Charlie also breaks down the USMNT’s evolving identity and why the real tests come in March against Portugal and Belgium, not in November friendlies.

And they dig into the seismic changes reshaping the domestic game:

• MLS preparing to shift to a fall–spring calendar

• USL pushing ahead with promotion and relegation

• Why these moves finally put U.S. soccer in step with the global game

Plus: the origin of Lori’s “Shut Up, Steve,” and a brief detour into her Tony Meola hair era.

Soccerish at full speed — big matches, big changes, and a national program growing up in real time.

New episodes every Thursday.

Chapters (mm:ss)

00:00 Cold open — Christina and Charlie bond over North Andover and ice cream spots

00:43 Welcome — “1-2-3 go vs 3-2-1 go” and show preview

01:32 NWSL semis — Lori on Gotham/Washington momentum and the Yellow Brick Wall

02:39 VAR chat — the razor-tight offside in Washington’s match

03:24 Gotham’s heroics — Ann-Katrin Berger’s “matrix save”

07:12 Travel panic — Christina freaks out about flights; everyone is flying into SFO

09:01 Picks — Christina leans Washington for the NWSL Championship

10:31 Gotham case — defensive strength vs. season-long inconsistency

10:56 Charlie arrives — “I finally made it to Soccerish!”

11:22 Coaching life — freezing practice, kids’ tournaments

12:11 Career intro — USMNT, Olympics, MLS clubs

14:25 Broadcasting — working with Jimmy Conrad & Tony Meola

14:57 Meola mullet lore — Lori modeled her hair after Tony

15:36 USMNT Paraguay recap — transition into Uruguay preview

16:27 Identity shift — Pochettino’s system, wide-player spacing, Balogun support

18:17 Summer 2026 — belief, injuries, and what’s needed for a run

19:25 Mentality — Charlie on the 2010 underdog mindset

20:10 Confederations Cup — Egypt win, beating Spain, belief they could win a World Cup

22:53 The belief — “We can beat the very best.”

23:11 Statement wins — why Mexico wasn’t enough

23:47 Uruguay — is it a statement win or not?

24:11 Portugal & Belgium — March matches as the real tests

25:25 Shut Up Steve — the Wake Forest backstory and what the USMNT needs

26:28 The brawl — fighting for each other as maturity

27:10 MLS shift — calendar vote and domestic impact

28:26 MLS realignment — why it finally makes sense

31:05 Weather reality — cold markets and scheduling

31:55 Right timing — MLS couldn’t do this before

32:24 Stadium economics — moving beyond NFL dependency

33:42 Fans vs cold — growth vs comfort

34:18 USL pro/rel — intent and pathways for players

36:42 Development — advice for young players and parents

38:00 Coaching kids — foundational ages 6–12

39:10 Writing — how Charlie joined The Athletic

40:20 The book — paused but coming

42:11 Topics — what he writes and why

43:05 Suggestion box — how listeners can pitch ideas

44:31 Final Q — Who wins the NWSL Championship?

45:00 Charlie’s pick — Gotham

46:18 Wrap — US vs Uruguay preview and sign-off

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