GOOD FOLLOW - Jordan Angeli on NWSL Championship, + 2025 NWSL Lookahead, & More
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This holiday, Lululemon makes it easy to give little luxuries that go beyond. Open the moment. Shop now at lululemon.com. Welcome to Good Follow presented by DraftKings. I'm Megan Reyes. Here with me is Logan Hackett. And joining us today is former pro player and current analyst Jordan Angeli. Jordan, welcome to Good Follow.

Thanks for having me. I'm excited to be with you, Megan and Logan. This should be really fun. I'm excited to talk some footy. As we know, the NWSL championship is set and we have number two seed Washington Spirit taking on the Shield winning Orlando Pride. This is the first time since 2019 that the one and two seed are facing each other in the final. Jordan, is this the matchup that you expected?

I don't know if it was the matchup we expected maybe when we first saw the actual bracket I think throughout the season everybody was kind of hoping it would be Orlando Kansas City but then as the bracket I did I did choose Washington to beat Gotham last weekend I thought it was going to be a big task for them and it did prove to be that going all the way to penalties but I

excited it's one verse two. I think that the way the season played out this year in NWSL, there was a bigger difference between the top four teams and everybody else. And so it felt like we got two of the best semifinals I think we've ever seen in NWSL. And then we get this final one verse two. You said it hasn't happened since 19. And I

Orlando has a big chance to be just the second overall club to be able to repeat Shield and then win championships. So we'll see what happens.

So, Logan, last week, we all had-- Yumi and Darien had Gotham going on to the finals. So, what are your thoughts on this match? It's odd because even after the game, I saw the one-two on the bracket sheet that NW Self hosted, and I was like, "Wait, Gotham was a-- Sorry, Washington was a two seed." And this felt like an upset. I think maybe 'cause of the big names or just how they've been playing recently. But with that said, Washington does deserve to be here as well as Orlando, but I think

I don't know. I don't know what to expect in the finals when it comes down to these two teams now. Because in my head, I feel like we were so Gotham winning this game. Well, the road to the final was not easy. And both semifinal matches last week were incredible. All the drama we could have hoped for. So let's start with Orlando up 2-1 in the 81st minute. Marta was not taking any chances. And so let's take a look at the goal that booked Orlando's ticket to Kansas City.

just so incredible she's 38 years old juked four defenders like it was nothing jordan is this gonna go down as probably one of the greatest goals of all time yes it's the goal scene across the world everybody is talking about this goal and i think how lucky are we that we get to witness this we get to witness marta that she has been one of the players that

you know, all of us have really looked up to for so long and she continues to do incredible things like this. You know what's funny, you guys? I was listening to your podcast last week with Darian and she said, you know Marta's going to try to go to her left. And as this play was happening, I was like, wait, her left? Don't let her go to her left. Don't let her go to her left. And you thought that the defenders did a really good job

But man, some way, somehow Marta finds a way to make everybody look foolish. And yes, it's the best goal I think we've seen in a long, long time. Yeah, there's some things that you just can't, like you can't defend. When Marta does that with her footwork, like you can't be mad at yourself. Yeah.

Well, I also want to talk about defenders, but I want to talk about pride defenders. So Emily Sams and Corey Dyke, they did a really good job of shutting down Temwa Shawanga. What did they do well? And how will this work next weekend against Spirit and especially with a player like Trinity?

I think one of the things that they did well is they actually defended Temo Shawinga really well in the last matchup. So if you go back to the last time Kansas City didn't score a goal and Temo Shawinga didn't score a goal, it was when they played Orlando Pride and Corey Dyke had Shawinga in her back pocket. So I think this was the first time we've actually seen Shawinga go into a game

without the confidence of I know how to beat this defender. And they use that to their advantage. They not only stepped high in moment, the cover. So that is Emily Sands. The cover in those moments was really good. If Corey Dyke went high, Sands would then cover that space in behind. But also Corey Dyke has just been a revelation for this Orlando team. Started playing outside back. She's a central midfielder by trade.

Started playing outside back and has taken a hold of that position. I thought her recovery runs were really well. She didn't bite at a lot of things, actually let Temuha Shawinga receive the ball and then play the space in behind. That is going to be really important for Orlando to make sure that they...

can hit Trinity Rodman with good pressure in moments, but also protect that space in behind. And Rodman has done something where she's switched back and forth. She's not always playing on the left side or on the right side. So it's not just going to be those two on the right for Orlando. It's also going to be the defenders on the left side that have to be aware of that pressure cover situation. So Logan, we've talked a lot about how

When Teva was kind of like quiet, I guess, on goal scoring, how Casey obviously struggles, were you surprised to see this from Orlando's defense or were you expecting this?

i wasn't wasn't i mean they what they needed to have some way to stop her and i remember we've been saying in pre-production they weren't really chipping the balls up to her as much as they used to like that's their go-to but i was actually interested to hear jordan's take on it because i'm not a very big defense person i mean i didn't play i'm kind of still learning as i go and i was like what was it that they really locked in on to stop tenmo because at the end of the day that's their key but then the rest of the forwards they also didn't

did a pretty good job stopping them as well. So I think overall, they did an amazing job and it probably it absolutely does go to last game as well. And they have something to write off of, whereas Tamwa didn't have any momentum there. And I think not having Lola Bonta was big for Kansas City because that is the favorite person for Tamwa Shawinga to get the ball from. And her coming off at halftime and really not looking like herself in the first half, I think was a big miss for this Kansas City team.

Well, before we move on, I actually want to talk about that a little bit because we talked about in pre-production how we were both kind of surprised that Lowe was subbed off early. Possibly, I don't know if there's an injury she's fighting, but were you surprised to see her come off so soon in such obviously an important game? I was surprised to see her with that big leg wrap. I think that was the biggest shock because she has been so resistant to injury throughout her career that I was like, well, something must be wrong. And then watching her play in that first half, I

She's such a cerebral player that she's really good at cutting off the passing lanes from defensively from the back line of an opponent into the front their front line So she's she's constantly cutting those passing lanes off so she could do that but it did feel like she was missing a little extra bite that she normally has in in pressing moments in tackles and how she distributed so after that first 45

I wasn't surprised she came off because she didn't look herself. It looked like it was more of a hindrance to this team because they weren't able to go quickly in transition because she wasn't in those spots that she typically was, which was such a bummer. Like you want this to be the best against the best in those moments. And

You know, Lola Bonta was one of my picks for best 11 in this league. I thought she was so excellent this year. And so that really hurt Kansas City in this game. Well, let's move on to the Spirit. They have yet to beat Orlando this season, but now this is the only game that matters. I mean, hey, you're playing for a championship and they're playing for their second in four seasons. So what do the Spirit need to do to lift the trophy on Saturday?

Start with you, Jordan. Yeah, that's a good question. It's going to be a tough task for the Spirit because when you're looking at goal production for them right now, it's not coming easily. Everything that they're scoring is off of set-piece situations. They're not really scoring run of play. Even that Tara McKeown goal is off of a set-piece. She comes up and gets the rebound, but it's...

For me, I think Spirit have to rely on what they've been good at all year is their defensive presence in a good mid block and trying to deny this Orlando team of playing centrally through some of the players that really set the tone for them. And if they can win some of those balls and go in transition, we know that Trinity Rodman loves herself a big game. She will show up in a big game. And so I'm expectant of Rodman to have a really big performance. And then also,

Ashley Hatch, I think Hatch's performance on the front line and how she links play, how she drops off the line at moments, but also how she penetrates and tries to be a really good target in the box. That's where she's gonna make her living and she has an NWSL. So can she be a good box presence for this Washington team? Defensively, they're solid.

And we saw that they can trust Aubrey Kingsbury because of what we saw in that semifinal. But offensively, they're going to have to create through the run of play in order to keep up with Orlando, who creates a lot of goals in the run of play. What about you, Logan? Who is going to be like your key player for Spirit this weekend?

I think all the rookies, because you have your Trinity and the Ashley or Ashley hatch, but they have had such a big impact on this team. I mean, they scored that goal, both McKenna and how it was them together. They were teammates, they're rookies. And I think all six rookies scored this season. They've had an incredible year and the way that they kind of push them forward, it's well, one and add a component, but two, I feel like it lifts the team and gives them a new energy. Um,

um when they're not performing they don't really seem to be as quick and bouncy and on it and scoring as much um so i think all those rookies like even to the back line are gonna have to be on it well actually i want to take a look at the the goal that you're talking about a hirschfeld kruger on that far side all targets on this delivery morris with a free kick stoppage time

I love this moment so much. And Logan, I know you're so big on McKenna Morris. So the fact that it was McKenna to Hal is very exciting. But it was one of those things when I was watching it, I was with my boyfriend and he was like, wow, this is such a cool angle. The way the broadcast was set up, it looked like a video game. So to have it be that moment where she perfectly served the ball right to Hal and it was just like such a beautiful header.

was such a fun moment for the spirit, but yeah, this rookie class has really stepped up. I think how has been playing that six role really well. What are your thoughts on her Jordan? I, I love her. I, I think she is the future of this league, the future of the national team. One of the things that's really interesting is she's had to play a deeper role since the injury to Andy Sullivan in that last game that Orlando played Washington spirit back for the shield in October. And yeah,

She's just dropped in there seamlessly. She's press resistant. So this back line for Washington Spirit can play the ball to her under pressure. She is one of the best midfielders in the league when it comes to progressive passes. So she loves to play forward. And with the Spirit team and some of the things that I was just mentioning, they're going to have

speed on the wings and that extra step I think where they can really beat Orlando in some moments and it's going to be important for Hal Hirschfeld to not only have that edge that she has defensively but also be a key cog to them and how they go forward but I I love her she doesn't look like a rookie a lot of these rookies on this team don't look like rookies and I think that's a lot of credit to Jonah Geraldo's and Adrian Gonzalez and and what they've built there at the Washington Spirit

So kind of last question on this matchup for you. Obviously, we know that Hal Hirschfeld is such a pivotal anchor, especially at that defensive midfielder position. But then on the other side of the ball, Orlando in their midfield, they have Haley McCutcheon and Angelina. So how do you see this midfield battle playing out?

Oh, I was just talking about how I think this is going to be the place in the game where I'm most interested because everything else is a little bit known, right? We know what's going to happen in the channels. We know Barbara Banda and Marta. We're going to have to keep an eye on them. And then on the other side, Kwasi and Rodman. But in the midfield, they have so many technicians. And so I think for McCutcheon and Angelina, one of the things that they've done really well is

found space to play in the half spaces between the lines of their opponents. So whether that's McCutcheon coming out a little bit wide to help find the ball and progress it into Banda or Marta,

Or them play both a little bit low and pull the defensive players in that midfield higher to create space in that second scene between the midfielders and the defenders. They do so many good things. I love Angelina. I think, gosh, what a big pickup for Orlando last offseason to bring her in from Seattle where she wasn't playing. I can't believe she wasn't playing for that Seattle team. And now she has such a big role on this squad. That's the battle, I think, in the midfield and how those...

maybe five, six players really start to figure out what's working and how to break the opponent down. That's going to be where I'm watching the most. Okay. Well, before we move on, we're going to do a very rapid fire. Logan, who is your pick to win championship on Saturday? Orlando. And I'm almost so confident in it that I'm like, I feel like there's could be an upset somewhere. Like I wouldn't be surprised just because I'm so confident, but Orlando all the way. What about you, Jordan?

I'm going Orlando too. I think it's going to be a close game, but it's hard to beat this Orlando team and to slow them down what they can produce going forward. So I think they're going to do it. I think they're going to win the shield and the championship. I also have Orlando later in the show. I'll get into a little bit about why that's my pick, but yes, I think Orlando and I really want Marta to get that championship. So we are Orlando across the board.

Well, let's move on to the two teams that came up short in the semifinals last weekend. Let's start with Gotham. They are a team coming off a 2024 championship. And as we know, they are loaded with stars, both in NWSL and internationally. Jordan, what do you think prevented them from being able to get back to the championship?

I think it was some game management, to be honest, which is interesting. Gotham was one of the best teams throughout the regular season of winning one-goal games. And when it came to winning a one-goal game when it counted the most, they weren't quite there. I thought they could have done a little bit better when they had the lead late in the game to keep the ball in situations and prevent Washington from getting that momentum to get that equalizer that we just saw. So they do so many things good attacking-wise, but in those situations,

final moments where you have to keep a lead, I think they could have done a little bit better and relied on some of that leadership a little stronger to pick up some of those pieces that weren't working well. So again, as we've referred to a lot, and as we all know, the team is very talented and very stacked. If they're able to keep this roster as is, what are your expectations from them next season?

I think it's the same as this season. They're going to be a team that makes the playoffs. And then when you make the playoffs, anything can happen. And we saw that from Washington. I don't know if they were the better team on the day, but they found the result and that's what mattered. So for Gotham, I think now under new ownership and new head coach and Juan Carlos Amoros, there is an expectation for them to make the playoffs. And I would imagine now that they all kind of have gelled for a full year,

We won't see a ton of changes. I don't know. We didn't think there was going to be a ton of changes from last year to this year, but I would doubt we see a ton of changes, but now they're going to expect that they have another big run in the playoffs. My expectation is for them to also, I would just like to add, sorry, work on penalty kicks, please. I am begging. Well, and then also, I think the return of Midge Purse should also hopefully help them as well.

Well, let's talk about Kansas City current as we know they came up short last weekend, but their season. I'm sorry. Yeah, their season was has been interesting. They finished second to last in 2023 and this year they had a record-breaking season came up short to Orlando. We're so close to playing for the championship in their home stadium. But Jordan, what do you think current need to focus on in the offseason to get back to that championship caliber team?

They did so many things well this year, but they really relied on their strengths and they made their strength, their strength, which was playing quickly when they got the ball. They didn't care how many passes it took to get to the goal. They didn't care if it was a beautiful buildup. They said, let's go score goals. And they did that.

again and again and again. I would like them to work on just having a variety to their game a little bit. So we see them switch their tactics from going super direct in transition to, okay, let's hold the ball and utilize some of these really good central midfielders, really good outside backs to maybe build up and break down a team in that way. I think that variety will be difficult for teams to prepare for.

But also they have Temo Shawinga and I think she's going to continue to score goals in this league. So that is the one tweak I would say is just a little bit more variety in what they're doing going forward. Logan, what about you? What are your thoughts on Casey? And what do you expect from them next season?

I completely agree with Variety. I mean, you always know what you're, or you knew every single game what you were going to get. They're probably going to score a lot of goals, if not try to score a bunch of goals. It was going to Temma, their forwards were running things, but really once they got back to their defense, it was like, oh, are they going to let, how many are they going to let by this game? So,

I think really working there and honestly, maybe goalkeeping. I feel like they had ebbs and flows with their goalkeeping and it wasn't that consistent. So I'd like to see it more consistent. Well, coming up, we continue our look ahead to the 2025 NWSL Championship with our favorite game, Rebuilt, Reload, Rerun. We'll be right back. ♪

Welcome back to Good Follow. Let's take a look at the 2025 NWSL season with a game we like to play called Reboot, Reload, Rerun. So here's how it's going to work. I'm going to tee up a team and our job is to determine what they should do next. Should they blow the whole thing up and reboot their team, make some big moves this offseason and reload, or should they stay the course and rerun with what they've got? You all ready to go? Make sense? Let's go. Ready.

Let's start with NC Courage, who finished fifth overall in the regular season. Their season ended in the quarterfinal with a 1-0 loss on the road against Kansas City Current. They went 12-3-11 this year, and this was the sixth time the Courage has made the playoffs in seven seasons. Should they reboot, reload, or rerun?

Rerun it. Rerun it. And I think one of the big reasons is they're going to get a healthy Caroline back. So I think that was the missing X factor to this team to really score the amount of goals that they should. I love this North Carolina team. The way that they play, their style of play under Sean Nahas is incredible.

I think probably one of the most beautiful in the league. And as they get more comfortable, Ashley Sanchez gets more comfortable in this with Caroline alongside of her up top. I think that rerunning it is going to be just what they need to do. I was going like in between reload and rerun, but you honestly just pushed me to rerun. Yes. Well, why were you leaning towards reload?

I feel like they their consistency was really lacking especially towards the end of the season um they already clinched a playoff spot but they I'm pretty sure they had some really close games if not a loss or two to teams that were at the bottom of the table um and granted the top four teams were really hard to crack I mean that was the semis that we ended up seeing but I would have liked to see them perform better in certain games and situations

Well, they have four different key players who are free agents this season. So it'll be interesting to see what they do, but I'm all for rerunning it. As you said, Caroline being back will be huge for them. And to me, they were kind of like, they're a little bit of a sleeper this season. They were doing so well and everyone was talking about Casey and Orlando and Gotham for obvious reasons. But in my opinion, they kind of quietly stayed in that top five teams for a good part of the season. So having Caroline back, they're definitely going to be a force next year.

Yes. Okay, let's move on to Chicago Red Stars, who finished eighth overall this season. The club also announced their rebrand, so starting next year, they'll be known as Chicago Stars FC. Stars FC president said, it is time to evolve our identity as a symbol of this new chapter. So with that said, should they reboot, reload, or rerun? Reboot it. I'm with you, Logan. I actually am between reboot and rerun because I think they –

sorry, reboot and reload. Those are the two reboot and reload because I do think they brought in some key players this year. If this team has Sam Staub and she stays healthy the whole time, I think it's a lot of it. It's different, but you're probably not going to get her back until midway or maybe even later in the season. That's why I'm like, do they need to reload?

potentially, but they definitely have to find some key pieces that add to this team. They need to get some good midfielders. And I would say they need to add somebody to the front line who is a goal scorer. Swanson and Ludmila are really good on the wings, but can you get a nine who loves scoring goals? I think that would really help them in the way, in the style that they want to play. So you tell me, is that a reboot or is that a reload? I'm not quite sure.

Oh, it's kind of a hybrid of the two, I feel like. Logan, why did you think they wanted to reboot? Because maybe that will help us come up with a definitive answer. I feel like it all comes down to goal scoring and having their stars. I mean, you have Mal on the team, but there's, you have big names, but when it comes to like on the world stage, like look at a team like Gotham, let's say, you don't have as many of those big names on

Killer goalie. Amazing. Keep her. Keep Mel. But I feel like there's some pieces that they could still switch around and the fact that they're rebranding, it just, it all goes together. You know what? That's fair. I think I would consider that a little bit of a reboot. Also, notes here, they have 10 players who are free agents, including Alyssa Nair. So maybe this is the time to just reboot and just start over.

I did see real quick that Alyssa Nair signed a one-year deal with them pretty recently. So she will be back next season, which is great news for them. Defensively, they put a lot of pressure on her. So it is going to be key that they take some of that pressure away from their goalkeeper and add some key pieces in the midfield. I think that would really help them. Okay, well, let's move on to San Diego. They finished 10th overall this season. Obviously, we know some big...

Some big news legend Alex Morgan retired, but the Wave have already made moves just recently signing University of Texas forward Trinity Byers. This season, Wave went 6, 7, and 13 in regular play, and their final 3-1 win over Racing Louisville felt like a warning to the league for next season. So for NWSL fans, it's a little bit of a surprise. They had a very solid first two years in the league, and then they struggled this year. So should they reboot, reload, or rerun?

I don't, I kind of want to say rerun, honestly rerun, but reboot the front office or coach reboot the bat, the back workings, you know, cause they have the team to be able to succeed. And I remember even talking when, who was it? Casey Stoney, Stoney, was she the coach of this team? Yes. And then they, yeah, she got fired. Yeah. When she got fired and then they brought in Landon Donovan and I'm pretty sure he's out. I was just reading some stuff about that, but yeah,

somebody is capable of turning this team into a championship team. I mean, you have the players, you have the name. So I say everyone run with a reboot on the back end. What are your thoughts, Jordan? Yeah, I think I went to reload because I thought if you're bringing a new coach in, you're going to have to reload in some ways. With the players on this team, you would expect more out of them. And I think that's why it was so confusing to us to see this season from San Diego where they really struggled to score goals. I think

They scored nearly, I don't know, 20 something goals, which is not enough compared to what they are capable of scoring. So it reload with a coach that can fit this style in this system. We saw under Landon Donovan that he was pretty aggressive in the way that this team wanted to go forward and they could handle that. Their defense can handle an aggressive line. They can handle playing a little bit higher offensively.

And then it gives freedom to players like Maria Sanchez, who's on this graphic, and Delphine Cascarino, who is going to be one of the top players in this league next year with a full season under her belt. They have the capability to score a lot of goals. So I think it's a reload when you talk about new head coach, new coaching staff coming in. They just have to make sure they make the right decision that suits the players that are in this squad.

Well, they have nine free agents of their own, so it will be also interesting to see what they do in this offseason. And yes, as we know, they've had some front office issues as well. So hopefully they can just iron out the kinks and maybe they'll get back to being a very dominant team that we've known them to be.

But let's talk about the other Southern California team, Angel City. They went 7, 6, and 13 and finished 12th overall, just missing out on a playoff spot thanks to a win from Bay FC. They were still without Kristen Press for most of the season, but they had their top goal scorers, Claire Emsley and Sydney LaRue. Should Angel City reboot, reload, or rerun? What are your thoughts, Jordan?

I think this Angel City team also should reload. I like Becky Tweed. I think she has really good ideas and a nice style of play that fits this team. I think they could use, they looked better with Katie Zellum in the midfield, but I think they could use another key midfielder, someone to help them in the 10 spot to play Kristen Press, Claire Emsley, Alyssa Thompson. That's a good front line. And you're going to see a healthy Kristen Press now.

back on the back line. I think they're good. Didi Hadicic had a great year in goal, but could they get someone to just challenge her a little bit to push in that spot, I think would be helpful for this Angel City team. So there's consistent growth back there, but I think it's just a little bit of a reload. A couple of key players in the midfield, maybe one along the back line, just to help with the competition week in and week out. Logan, what are your thoughts on Angel City?

Admittedly, I watched a ton of end of years all this year and Angel City was not a team that I've watched so much. So Meg, I'm going to let you take my answer. I do watch a lot of Angel City and my answer is also going to come as a follow up for Jordan, who's the expert here. But I think it's a little bit of a reload and a reboot. I think they have on paper, they have all the players, right? Especially goal scorers.

But for some reason, it's just not working. And it's, I think, in my opinion, for someone who really, who didn't play soccer, so I don't know the tactics as well. It's just, it's kind of, it's,

the ball is getting somewhere lost in the midfield. So I agree with Jordan on like they need someone else in the midfield. But my question for Jordan is also defensively, they have kind of struggled. They're giving up goals late and they're either drawing games they should have won or losing games that they should have won. But you have a player and I talk about this a lot and admittedly, I'm friends with her, but you have a player like Sarah Gordon in the back line who can't do it all. But how much do you

think the injury to Allie Riley kind of threw that back line off their game a little bit this year? And do you think they need help in the defense? Yeah, I think they could. But if you have a healthy Emma Vignola, I think that maybe changes too because she is so good in that outside back position.

I think that this team could pull in Orlando, right? Orlando lost out on the playoffs last year because of goal differential. And over the offseason, they committed as a team to being better in the final 15 minutes of the game. They ended up throughout this whole year into the final, only giving up two goals in the final 15 minutes of the game. They went all through until the second to last game of season without giving up a goal in that time. And that's mentality. So I think a player like Sarah Gordon can lead that mentality, help

create that culture within the group because that's the difference between making the playoffs and not. And I think that this team has the ability to do that. They just have to change some of the culture, the mentality within them. Okay, last team in our game. Let's look at Seattle Rain who finished 13th

13th overall, which was their worst season in the club's 12-year history. So a little bit of notes for our viewers. As we know, they lost Megan Rapinoe to retirement at the end of last season, and they had key players like Rose Lavelle and Lee Sonnet and Sam Hyatt join Gotham's super team in the offseason. And then they also traded Alana Cook to Kansas City and Bethany Balser to Racing Louisville.

It's a little bit confusing because they have goal scorers like Jordan Heitema and Veronica Latsko. And Laura Harvey is one of the most winningest coaches in NWSL, if not the most winningest coach in the league. So, yeah.

it's a little bit questionable why they went 6-5 in 15. so should rain reboot reload or rerun i was trying to think back to the episode that we had and we were talking about this team and why they weren't doing so well and i think it came down to defense that they lost their key players on defense and they all went to teams where the defense is thriving and doing so great so you could tell that they were making an impact clearly

And the impact is not there with the rain. I don't remember exactly what their goals against was, but I'm pretty sure it was pretty high. They don't really have anyone who can hold it down. So I'd say reload on that end. What are your thoughts, Jordan?

Yeah, that was nice. I'm going to go reboot. I think that this team needs a reboot because we have seen this clear identity from Seattle for so many years. And a lot of that had to do with the players that they had, right? Lou Barnes, Jess Fishlock, Megan Rapinoe. They had players that...

helped them have the same identity for a long, long time. And that's all under Laura Harvey. But I do think, and she tried to do it at the beginning of the year, but they dealt with so many injuries that they couldn't quite switch their identity. I think they need to bring in some fresh players, some youthful players. And they've done that a little bit, bringing Jordan Bug in as a young U18 player playing in the back line. But rebooting the identity of this team, it can still be

in championships because that's what they want. But I think it has to be different when it comes to how they're playing on the field. And that might come with a couple of new players in the back line, which would be really crucial. But also, I

I just think they need a better goal scorer. I think Jordan Heidema is good, but a little inconsistent in moments. So can you get a nine that consistently scores goals? Because you know G is going to find her. So I'm going reboot. I feel bad, Seattle, but I think we need a shake up there. I'm with it. I'm all for a reboot. That's our first reboot of the game. And that's the fun part of this game is getting to play GM a little bit and saying, let's blow it all up and start over. So we'll take the reboot. I'm for that one. Okay.

Well, that's all for our game of Reboot, Reload, or Rerun. And Jordan, before we let you go, as we know, the foundation of our show, Good Follow, is that communities get built one Good Follow at a time. And so we like to shout out a person, page, or brand that is doing excellent work in sports and in women's sports also. So who would you like to spotlight as your Good Follow? Ooh, I like that question. Um...

I get to work with so many really great people throughout everything that I do. And so I would say Lisa Carlin. She's been working hard at this for a long time. She works over at Attacking Third. She's going to be a part of the broadcast this weekend for NWSL Championship. So she's a good follow. Go follow Lisa. Give her some love.

I love that. The whole crew at Attacking 13 and CBS, you're all doing wonderful things. I learn a lot every time I watch. So everyone go and follow Lisa and also just the Attacking 13. But Jordan, thank you so much for joining the show. It was so wonderful to have you on and to learn from you. And we will see you in Kansas City. Yes. Thank you guys so much for having me. Well, up next, Logan and I go back to school. We'll be right back. ♪♪♪

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Welcome back to Good Follow. So we have spent a lot of time discussing the pros, but now it is time for Logan and I to go back to school and discuss some of the top college athletes and teams. So the NCAA College Cup is underway with USC, Duke, Florida State, and Mississippi State all as one seeds. Logan, do any of these teams surprise you?

And do you like one of these teams to win it all? This is women's soccer, obviously. This is good follow. I don't think any of these teams really surprised me. I mean, all of them have been on a pretty good run. Florida State, the level that they're at, they do still have a one seed, but the level that they're at right now is a bit surprising. And then when it comes to winning it all, I have Duke this year. They are on a heater. Florida State doesn't surprise me at all. They have such...

I don't even know the word, but they have such a historic women's soccer program. A little bit surprised to not see Stanford at one. I mean, they are ranked pretty high, but they started the season very strong. And then towards the end, they kind of dropped a little bit in the top 25. But so you have Duke, I guess, kind of upsetting Florida State for that back-to-back-to-back championship. Yeah.

Yes, they've only lost two games. I mean, they're just on set. With that said, they did lose in the ACC championship to UNC rivalry. Love to see it. But I think just with the way that they're going, they've had so much success and it was a huge step up from last year.

Well, Notre Dame, they may not be a one seed, but they have leading goal scorer Izzy Engel, who is playing lights out. Let's take a look at this absolute filth she put on in the finish from this goal in the first round of the College Cup. Watching the ball back into the box by Auspec. Engel just gets that final touch behind the leg and finishes an incredibly clean goal. It was so clean. And Izzy now has 17 goals in 19 games.

Logan, which NWSL team, if we're coming back to our combo on NWSL, which NWSL team could use Izzy right now as a goal scorer? Oh, there's a lot. There's a lot of teams that could just use goal scorers, period. But I would actually like to see her on Angel City, especially because she's young. Let's say she were to declare for the NWSL. They do really well with young players and developing them. I mean, we saw them with Alyssa Thompson and Giselle.

And I think she just, her style of play kind of fits into their, what they have going on. I like it. Well, Notre Dame has now produced three straight players to win an ACC of the Year award. In 2022, Corbin Albert, as we know, who also plays on the U.S. Women's National Team, won ACC Midfielder. And in 2023, Ava Gatino won ACC Defender. And since then, both of them have had national team appearances. So, yeah.

Now with Izzy Engel as ACC Freshman of the Year, is she the next Notre Dame player that we may see on the women's national team?

Absolutely. Especially taking not only the ACC, which is an incredibly tough conference, but just the soccer world by storm as a freshman. I mean, it's almost like when we're watching basketball and we see freshmen putting up like 30, like a juju type thing. I mean, when you look at the list of the players with the most goals this year, she's the only freshman on the front first page and she's like in there with seniors and juniors. So I

I think definitely she'll end up on the national team. It's just a matter of kind of when and when she starts to get more eyes on her. We'll mark our words. When you see Izzy Angle on the US Women's National Team, Logan and I talked about it. You're first.

And Izzy isn't the only forward having a great season. Over in the SEC, graduate and forward Ava Tankersley has become the first two-time SEC Forward of the Year in league history with 12 goals this season. With the NWSL draft gone, as we know, with the new collective bargaining agreement, there is now no NWSL draft. So with the draft gone, Logan, which NWSL team would you like to see Ava side with?

Again, another goal scorer. Yeah, very hard. I would say Bay FC was the first that came to mind. I mean, I know they have a good frontline. They have Rachel killing it. Same with Oshawa, right? They're both on the frontline. Oh, wait. Now think about it. No. Let's go Seattle Reign. Yeah, that's just way too dominant. Let's go with Reign.

Okay, I like it. I mean, as we just talked about, we think that Ray needs to completely reboot, including finding a more consistent goal scorer as Jordan shared with us. So I'm all for it. Ava to Seattle, Ray. Okay. Yeah, and she's young too. If Jordan stays, I feel like having a young frontline is like so exciting.

It's going to be really fun now without having a draft, which the draft was always fun. But this process is it's a new era. It's never happened for a league to have a draft and then eliminate it. So this process is going to be interesting. If any of these players declare for the draft, it'll be really fun to see where they all end up. Absolutely.

Well, for now, it's time for Logan and I to say goodbye to school. I personally don't miss school, but it's time to say our farewell. Go watch the College Cup now through December 9th. Coming up, I reveal my DraftKings Picks of the Week and Logan shares her latest GoodFollow. We'll be right back. Welcome back to GoodFollow. Before we get into our weekly picks, our partners at DraftKings have an offer that is perfect for any game day.

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Again, download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now and use promo code "goodfollow" for $250 in bonus bets after betting just $5. Only at DraftKings Sportsbook. Okay, now it's time for this week's DraftKings Sportsbook picks. It is my favorite time of year as we know NWSL Championship is this weekend. We've already covered this match in depth but we know this game is going to be electric and I'm thrilled Logan and I both get to be at CPKC Stadium.

I really admire what Washington Spirit have done this season, and you all know I love me some Trinity Rodman, but I'm going for Orlando Pride to have their fairytale ending to cap off their historic season. My player to watch is, of course, Marta, the greatest player of all time will get her NWSL championship that she deserves, hopefully, after being with the Pride since 2017. So, Logan, what are your final thoughts on this game?

I'm so excited. And I'm so excited for Marta because, I mean, she won championships, I believe. She was in the NWSL before the NWSL was the NWSL. The WPL, is that what it was called? She won with them, but she's yet to win an NWSL championship. And, I mean, she's the GOAT. She is absolutely GOATed. We don't know when her career is coming to an end. I really hope not anytime soon. But regardless, I'm so excited for both the teams to be competing for this championship. And it's going to be a really good one. Yeah.

Okay, so should we make like a prediction? Because I almost wonder that if Orlando were to win, and obviously Marta gets her championship, does she go out on a high note? Or does she keep playing? I mean, she looks like she still has plenty of juice left in the tank.

I was thinking about that in the shower, actually. Really random thought. But I was like, yeah, is she going to go out on a high note? Maybe she'll want to continue. Maybe she doesn't even want to retire and we're just having this conversation like for no reason. But I think what prompted the thought was what if Washington wins? And then I was like, Marta's coming back for sure. I mean, that is not somebody who is going to go out without winning a championship. So yeah.

I'm not too sure. She looks like she could still play for five, six, seven years. Normally people start to slow down and she's coming back up. Yeah, as Jordan said, and as we all know, we are so privileged to be able to live in an era where Marta plays soccer and we get to watch her. Okay, well, let's move on to basketball. On Wednesday, Unrivaled announced their teams. We've been waiting for this moment. Let's watch this video. This is where it currently sits. So I think there's a few tweaks that...

Could be made. We have all spoken and we decided Kate Martin to the Laces Basketball Club. Shifted Lexi home to the Royals Basketball Club. Wow, okay. Anything else? Last thing, the wild card is now going to the Lunar Owls Basketball Club. So we're good with these basketball clubs. If you were assigned to any of them, you guys would be happy? We're good. That's correct. So Logan, who do you think is going to be the best team at Unrivaled?

I love the whole entire process, I have to say, of all the coaches coming together and just making fair and balanced teams. I didn't know they were going to move people around and everything, but I don't know. The first time, I like the laces. Laces is a fun team. I'm going with the laces. But honestly, they look very, very balanced and fun. Yeah, this is great.

This is going to be, it's like watching an all-star game, but all season. Exactly. Well, let's talk a little bit more hoops because last weekend, UConn head coach Gino Oriamo tied former Stanford head coach Tara Vanderveer as the winningest coach of all time. By the time this airs, he will probably have faster. Logan, when it's all said and done, will Gino go down as the greatest men's or women's coach of all time?

This is such a hard question. I feel like he'll be definitely on the list, probably at the top until everyone else reaches the end of their careers. Because, I mean, I don't know, women's basketball, you just have so many legendary coaches. Like, what's Dawn Staley's career going to be like when she's finally finished? But I just found out today, Gina began coaching UConn in 1985. Wow.

That is so long. 11 NCAA titles, 23 final fours, 28 regular season titles and 27 conference tournaments. Like those are some insane stats I don't think can be replicated. So we'll definitely be at the top of the conversation. If he retired, if he's one of the first to retire, I know Tara did last year, but if he's one of the first in this kind of new era, then I'd say, yeah, for sure.

Well, as we know, Gino has produced a lot of very good players at his time at UConn. I mean, if he started with UConn in 1985 and you think about every person that has come out of that program, it's the best of the best. And one of them as a most recently, of course, is our girl Paige Beckers. She dropped a contested buzzer beater and then had a very interesting celebration after recently. Let's take a look at this.

Good off the bounce. She's got nine here in the first. Beckers. Good if it goes. Got it.

So petty. I live for it so much. On a scale of one to 10, how savage is it to skip in front of your opponent's bench? It's very suffering. The way that she was looking at every single one of them too. Oh, I didn't, I want to know the feeling that she felt in that moment. Oh my gosh. It's I live for moments like this. It's what makes sports fun. Yeah.

Did you see Flage? She played, I think they were playing Troy and she hit a contested three and look back to their bench and blew them a kiss. I don't think it was as big as this one, but it was out there. It's villain era and it's what we need in women's sports. I, I love it. Um,

Well, speaking of Paige, we now know the official draft order of the WNBA draft. Dallas Wings locked in the very first pick. So we were all wondering where Paige is going to go. And it looks like that she'll probably be heading to Dallas. So how do you feel about this? And then she'll be teaming up with Arika Agumawale. So what do you think of this pairing? Everyone's talking about how this is going to be a very good team.

Yeah, everybody's also talking about how they feel so bad for Paige because she fits in LA and everything like that. Like, it was pure luck. The whole lottery thing was all numbered out. People had different odds. But I honestly love her in Dallas. With that said, for some reason, if she decides that she does not want to be in Dallas, Kiki Rarifin is a great fit for them. I don't know how they're going to work out with two shooters. I mean, they're backcourt...

They were kind of good on defense last year. I think regardless, she'll be an asset to any team that she's on. But Dallas, the way that they're also kind of rebooting their whole, I mean, they're getting new coaches. They have new facilities this year. It's not like they're in the trenches or anything. So I think she's going to be a huge asset if she gets drafted there. So excited because Arike is a very fun player and so is Paige. So it'll be like a little double, what's it called? Double duo? Double duo.

A duo? A duo? A dynamic duo? That. That's what I'm thinking of. Page to the league. It's time. We are very excited. Well, as we know, the foundation of this show is that communities get built one good follow at a time. And each week, one of us shares a person, a page, or brand as our good follow of the week. Logan, it is your turn this week. Who is your good follow?

My good follow is Indivisa, which is a company that Meg and I both have a lot of, have done a lot of work with. I do power rankings with them. I'm going to the end of my sell championships with them. And Meg, I have seen your

Jersey fit checks. You've done every single team, right? And they are incredible, but they're such an amazing brand to work with, but also consume what they're putting out. It's all for women's football. And originally they were huge. Well, they still are, but they started with football in the UK and they've made their way over to the American space and put themselves right into it. They're doing so well. But let's take a look at what they do in the UK. Homewood.

Come with me to watch Man City. It's a quick walk to the stadium before we get in to watch the warm-ups. Now, the vibes here were crazy. Look at this sign and look at how much Chloe Kelly loves this sign. I was gagged.

We needed a quick refreshment, but I had to run down the stairs, grab my seat because Bunny Shaw scored within seconds. It was crazy. And of course she got her hat tricked because this is what she does, people. For Friday Night Lights games, it doesn't get better than this with goals, drama and obviously a little snack for the way home.

I absolutely love the editing in that. But that's kind of, they have a creator concept or they use a lot of different creators in different spaces to kind of just show the whole world of football. And I absolutely love it.

And I adore the organization. Great people. I'm very fortunate that I get to work with them. And I love that Logan does also. And yes, we will both be creating content with them this weekend at NWSL Championship. So I co-sign, definitely go follow and stay tuned with what we both have cooking up.

So that is my Good Follow of the week. Follow Indivisa to watch all their amazing content and see Meg and I. And we want to hear from you, our fans, who is your Good Follow? Send your nominations to @goodfollowshow and tell us why your Good Follow should be featured on our show. Good Follow is brought to you by DraftKings. We'll see you next time.