Kali: Welcome to Summit Up, your one-stop shop for all things Denver Summit FC with plenty of side hikes into the greater Indisa landscape, women's sports in Denver, and everything you should know about the culture and community of soccer at 5280. As always, we are your hosts, Kaylee and Matt. And you guys, we are recording this. Right after we are getting home from the groundbreaking ceremony today on Thursday, October first. Not sure when this will release, but that is when we're recording it. So we are having a great day already. Matt, take us peek to peek.
Matt: I I just have a qu do you think you could recite the the podcast intro like in your sleep? If I just randomly called you on the street and said, say it, could you do it?
Kali: I mean I d I do sometimes like wake up in the middle of the night and I'm like, welcome to sum it up. And that's what's playing in my head. So
Matt: To we we need to start making money on this to pay for Ryan's sleep therapy bills then.
Kali: Well, randomly he will like just zero in on something that we say on the podcast. And it's usually something that I say that I'm like, why did I say it that way? And he will just repeat it over and over. And so sometimes he'll be like, You're a one stop shop. And I'm like, all right, that's enough. So the answer is yeah. Yeah, I do. I I probably could recite it, but I do read it just to make sure I don't mess up.
Matt: speaking of that, I forgot to say Allie's down for the the swap. She did ask if I would do the notes though.
Kali: Okay.
Matt: so just have like do the stat crunch for for her so she has something to read off of it. She's totally fun to jump in.
Kali: my gosh, you guys, okay. I'm gonna need people in the DMs to request if this is something people actually want because otherwise I think Brian's gonna be a harder sell. I think he's gonna be like, What? So we'll see.
Matt: All right. Well, speaking of not hard sells, we already talked about it, but the the call-ups for US and Germany that were yet to come last episode have come. We have Lindsay, Ava, and Ayo called up to the US women's national team and US women's U twenty three national team. We also have Melissa Kostler called up to the Germany national team. So I think that makes it one, two. Three, four, five, six, six call ups, seven call ups. Crazy.
Kali: I think that's right at this point, yeah.
Matt: Yeah, across four countries Japan, Canada, US, Germany. What am I missing? Am I missing anything?
Kali: Mm mm. I'm having trouble remembering off the top of my head. I think you've got it though.
Matt: Naomi would be called up to Cameroon had they not just finished the Af African conference championship, which they won. which brings me to my next piece of peak to peak news and I have a prop for this. Kayleigh, you ready?
Kali: A prop. my goodness. If you guys can
Matt: I said there'd be signs. Got the Pip Vipers
Kali: If
Matt: on.
Kali: if you could see Matt right now, this is gonna have to be a clip that we use for socials because what a look that is, Matt.
Matt: Look, we stand a pit viper sporting WAFCON Trophy Holding Champion, Cameroonian Naomi Eto touchdown in Colorado last week. It was after we recorded the episode, so we didn't get to put it in. But I said if we knew, we might not tell you, but there'd be signs and I got a sign. the this is
Kali: Big side.
Matt: this is crazy too because Naomi's birthday was last Wednesday. So happy bladed birthday. If you haven't seen her, told her on social, like get it out there. butcher the French, but Joyeux Aniversary. she she traveled 20 she traveled 24
Kali: Better than I could do.
Matt: hours to get here on her birthday to be here to play for your Denver summit after
Kali: That's a dedicated teammate right there. Yep.
Matt: just winning a championship, like wasn't off gallivanting.
Kali: And she's probably tired.
Matt: Yeah. Kurt Kurt did say that. He's he did say, I think she's a little tired, but I expect the soccer to happen sooner rather than later. obviously she she didn't play in the KC current match last weekend. Spoiler alert for the game we'll recap later. But we'll we'll talk more about her prospects for the upcoming match in Chicago. I did fanboy a little bit, I I got myself a little bit in trouble. Like she she came over to to near the press area. And I and I just kind of like sidled and I was like, Naomi, I have to say, welcome. So excited you're here. Congratulations on the championship. I'm a I'm a big fan of African soccer and watching Cameroon win that championship, texting one of my best soccer buds who's from Cameroon about it. and then and then telling him that we we brought her over to the team. he was super stoked. so yeah, it it's fun. Like we meet all the players, we go to so many games. I know like When you're covering things you can get a little callous, but like first time in a long time, like I I I got a little like, this is really, really cool. She just hoisted a whole continental trophy. Like, this is great.
Kali: I mean hey, you we gotta act professional, but we can be fans too, you know?
Matt: all right. Well, in other exciting news, I'm gonna take the pit vipers off, put the regular glasses back on so I can read my notes. on social media at the groundbreaking around the f facility, Nahikari Garcia is up and walking about again. if you don't remember, she had ACL surgery. she's been diligently doing her recovery process. It's been really heartening to see the videos of both her and Jasmine Iike in the the summit gym together working out. That was something that they both talked about. you never want anyone to get injured, obviously, but it's been really nice for those two teammates to have each other through this recovery process. Nahi Kari specifically saying it's it's been great to see that Jazz is just a few months ahead of her. So, like everything she does, she can see what the future looks like and that that gives her hope. so we're big Nahi fans. It w it was awesome to to get that news, to, to see her smiling and and with the whole team at the groundbreaking today. And we're we're in for a speedy recovery. As a lead into the groundbreaking, I was chatting with Molly Cohen, which as always, shout out Molly Cohen. as I was walking into to the event today. And we were talking about the the attention to detail. And she was telling me it's just it's just such a a team effort. It's such a club, such an organizational effort. And she she Recited a story to me about the youth clinic they just did in Sheridan. and after they they did some drills, taught some soccer to some kids, there was the inevitable teardown, breakdown of the event to happen. And wouldn't you know it, goalkeeper to the stars, number one in our hearts, Abby Smith is just out there breaking down tents, wasn't asked, one of the last people there, just making sure everything gets puts away. And Molly got so nervous. She's like, Abby, no, not your hands. We can't get your hands pinched in any of these tents. I'll do it. So I'm just imagining like in Sheridan, Colorado, there's this event and you could just see Abby Smith and Molly Cohen taking down summit tents together. And if that's not just the perfect encapsulation of this team, then then I don't know what is.
Kali: I mean that's like you said, that's a perfect encapsulation and exactly what I envision from every angle of this team. It is a full effort for the community. And that's really sweet. But yeah, Abby, why don't we why don't we not do any sort of labor unnecessarily? Let's protect those hands. Hopefully they're insured.
Matt: Yeah, kick the soccer balls back into the bag, but like let's yet how much do you think goalkeeper hands can get insured for? We get we gotta look next episode. I don't wanna deep dive right now, but I bet
Kali: Yeah.
Matt: that's a thing.
Kali: It is a thing because doctors can get their hands insured, so it totally is a thing.
Matt: Yeah, it's like I would say like what, each of Abby Smith's fingers are worth like fifty K. So it's like half half a milli like in the in the mitts.
Kali: I don't know. I don't even have a single like clue of where that starts.
Matt: If you are listening and work for an insurance firm, slide in our DMs. Let us know what the going rate is for star goalkeeper mid insurance policies. Yeah.
Kali: my goodness. Well, moving on to talking more about the groundbreaking ceremony. We've talked about it a little bit on socials already, and we teased it at the beginning of this. But you guys, we had the best morning at the groundbreaking ceremony. So if you aren't familiar with what I mean when I say that, they broke ground in Santa Fe Yards today. and it was a just wonderful time of blessing the land. really being intentional with the history of their neighborhoods, the history of the property, the history of every avenue that goes into a project like this. And again, I'm not shocked that it was incredibly intentional and that it was done correctly and appropriately and wonderfully. But again, it's just goosebumps being there. We heard from Rob Cohen, Mary Mike Johnson, and Jen Millet and we'll include Jen's speech here for you to listen to. Okay, so I mean, I absolutely teared up during her speech. It is such an incredible part of this podcast is getting to cover something that we care so much about. And as a woman who played sports and coached sports and cares about sports, it is just so great to see what an example that Jen Rob and the whole community that is surrounding Denver Summit is making. So Jen was thinking in her speech a lot of different people. But my favorite quote from her speech today was to everyone who looked at this empty lot and saw a future of Colorado sports, our partners, our investors, our staff, our players, our supporters, and the people of Denver, thank you for building with us. Soon this dirt will become a field filled with tens of thousands. And when a young girl walks through downtown Denver, looks up at these gates, and steps inside, she won't see borrowed space. She will see a cathedral built for her potential. She will learn without anyone having to say a word that she's allowed to stand tall, make noise, and take up all the space in the world. I mean, I have goosebumps, I might start crying again. Like that is just incr like, yes, that is why. That is why we do this. That's why we cover this the team. Yes, soccer is fun, but it is so much more than that when it comes to women's sports. So Again, you guys that by this point know me to get a little bit hyped up and just overly elated for this side of the podcast. But it's it's really refreshing to see. And it's really and fr like refreshing just to see the the money, the time, the investment, the details back up. That yeah, we wanna have a soccer team here. We wanna invest in women's sports. And this is what it looks like. This is a master class of what it looks like to invest in women's sports. So All have to say is I had a great time at the groundbreaking ceremony. it was phenomenally done. Shout out to the marketing team, shout out to the comms team. I mean, top to bottom from setting up chairs to speeches. Great, great morning. Matt, anything to add?
Matt: Yeah, I think I mean you nailed it with Jen's speech. I was I was tearing up just hearing the the emotion of her talking about what this means to her, what the vision is for the community. I loved, I think the line she said was, This is Rob's and Molly's love letter to Denver. And like we've talked about it on the show before. and I don't want it to come across as too sacrament, but like this family, Rob and Molly, the Coens, what they've been trying to do in Denver. For sports for 30 years, specifically women's sports. I mean, Colorado or sorry, Denver Sports Authority with the Olympics bid, trying to get a WNBA team, finally getting the first women's professional team here, the Denver Summit. Like, you don't do things like that without it being a love letter to the community that you're you're so ingrained with. And seeing all the people in the audience today. seeing all the people up on the stage, seeing all the players take a shovel and throw the dirt. Like these are all different love letters from these people to Denver. And I'm so excited in in two years when that stadium opens up for the first match, it's gonna be amazing.
Kali: You mean when that cathedral opens for the first match? Because I think that is it will feel like a religious experience. I mean, my goodness, I can't wait for that for that day. And, you know, everyone talks about the bridge to nowhere that is right there when you enter Santa Fe Yards. And I think it's the bridge to dreams, the bridge to everywhere, the bridge to the moon. I mean, it is like it feels like the sky's the limit when everyone comes together to talk about this vision and how they're executing this vision. And at this point, I guess this is our love letter, Matt, to the whole community of building this team because guys, we are not this is just of our own fruition and like fandom of how thrilled we are to see something done so well. There's no one that's like, you know what, you guys should really talk more about Cohen family and and the the front office and everyone. Like that's just us being excited and me being a marketing nerd at the same time. So
Matt: No. Emily Ramondi's slipping me like half day summit.
Kali: No, she would never
Matt: No.
Kali: No, no, no, no. There's literally a
Matt: They had green paper towels in the bathroom, evergreen paper towels in the bathroom. I I like come from a long,
Kali: Matt Matt was very excited about that.
Matt: a long period in the hospitality industry, and like that sort of forethought, attention to D detail, that that hospitality never gets lost on me. And I was so stoked to see that. Another thing that I I got really excited, you talked about the bridge to nowhere. I I biked to the event on my on my e-bike. I lived just up the Platte Creek bike trail. Platte River Bike Trail, sorry. and super easy ride, beautiful morning. I coast down that, turn left on Mississippi, turn left into the event on Bannock, and then I see the bridge to nowhere. And for the first time since 2017, when I moved to Denver, I actually saw someone do something with it. It was clad in those huge summit player banners. You've all seen at many different events and at the stadium by now. Both sides of it, it just it It really like hit home, like something is happening in a place where so many people have wanted something to happen for so long. And even for the attention to detail aspect, Naomieto touched down Thursday, she had a banner right up there. Like no one's left out in this in this tent. This is a big tent and everyone come inside.
Kali: I love that. And you know, there's we got to talk to a couple we got to listen to a fireside chat with Janine and Ava. We got to talk to Lindsay. We got to talk to Jen. And we got to talk to Elizabeth Irfling. Everyone just again thrilled at where we're at in the progress and what this will represent and what this will provide for the community. So here are a couple of the clips from our conversations with them today. Okay, moving on from our wonderful, wonderful morning that we had at the ceremony today, let's talk what
Matt: Hold on. Yeah. So just to reiterate, if you didn't hear us in the lead up, if you didn't hear from these clips, the construction that broke around today is going to be for all of the utilities, the water, the electric construction for the stadium proper will begin in earnest next summer. We are currently on a timeline of the end of 2028. So I think we we'd be hard pressed to see a match that isn't the playoffs. At Santa Fe Yards in twenty eight, this might be a debut in twenty twenty nine thing happens, but nevertheless wanted to make sure that you had those those dates on your calendar.
Kali: Hey, I wanna keep h hope that it will be finished in twenty twenty eight. They said fall twenty twenty eight. Let's let's hold out hope. They've delivered on a lot of things well.
Matt: Well, that's why I said playoffs. I mean, it's a foregone conclusion. Plus, I mean, we could probably host host the championship next year at the the brand new or twenty twenty eight in the stadium.
Kali: Yeah, obviously. I mean w we would need to, probably.
Matt: You hear that, Jessica Berman?
Kali: Well, moving on from
Matt: Okay. Twa twenty twenty twenty twenty eight Women's Club World Cup. We could host that. we could host the NWSL Championship. We'll go out and see our players in the Los Angeles Olympics. Like big year. Big, big year.
Kali: Big year. Alright, moving on from our wonderful morning to the Casey Current recap. A little bit less fun than our morning that we had. But nonetheless, still good things to talk about. You know, there's always something good as your resident optimist here. So Denver's sixth match unbeaten run came to quite the abrupt end in Kansas City, with the Denver Summit falling 4-1 to the current, despite getting off to a pretty ideal start. Lindsay Heaps was red hot, putting Denver ahead in the 13th minute with her third goal of the season and her fifth goal contribution in just four matches. Now, since returning to the N-DB Cell, In July, Heaps now has three goals, three assists, and nine appearances. The goal also extended Denver's scoring streak to six straight matches and brought the summit to 42 goals on the season so far. So, but then came the moment of the game for Abby Smith. Ayo was called for a foul on Timo Chiwinga inside the box, sending DeBinya into the spot for the 35th minute. Smith read The goal perfectly. Diving to her right, her first penalty saved of the season, and handing Divinia her first failed penalty attempt since 2019. This sh really should have been our moment. It really should have been the momentum shift, but unfortunately, that is not what happened. Haley Hopkins.
Matt: Before you before you go before you go into what happened, I do want to point out, I think I've only seen Abby Smith guess wrong for one penalty this season. She always knows. And I was so stoked for that that diligence in studying PK ten tendencies of players and being prepared for it to pay off and her to get get the mid on this one and swipe that away. That that doesn't go unseen, Abby. Like preternatural ability to know where the ball's gonna go.
Kali: Totally. I mean, yeah, it was an absolutely huge moment. Until Haley Hopkins found the equalizer just before halftime, sending the team into the break tied at 1-1. After the last several matches, I feel like there has been this hope, this excitement, this okay, we'll come back. Second half, let's see it. And then the second half really just got away from Denver fast. Hopkins scored again in the 47th, completing her first career hat trick in the fifty-seventh, off an assist from Joenga. And then suddenly Denver was staring at a three-one deficit. Joinga put the finishing touch on it in the 76th minute, scoring off of Vanessa Di Bernardo's back heel to make it 4-1. Kansas City finished with a 22-7 advantage in shots while Abby still recorded six saves for Denver. So definitely a tough, tough afternoon for the summit. The loss snapped Denver's sixth match unbeaten run and marked their first defeat after scoring first since May 3rd against Boston. Meanwhile, Kansas City extended its NWSL Cell record regular season home unbeaten strip streak to 30 matches. Denver leaves KC at 99 and 8 with 35 points as of the end of the match, sitting 10th on the table after this game with four regular season games left. Not exactly the result we were looking for in this playoff push, but hey, Lindsay. continues to be a massive difference maker since returning and now the summit will have to turn the page and quickly see what Chicago has up there slave. Matt, watching this game
Matt: Yeah. I I
Kali: and then going into the postgame presser, ugh, talk to us.
Matt: I feel like this is where where the people that say we're we're too nice and and too positive about things, this is where it comes
Kali: Yeah.
Matt: back. Because to be honest, I don't think there was a lot to be positive about in this match. I think I've only seen the the summit just summarily beaten this season twice and both times were by the KC current. I I got to know Chris Armist with when he was the coach of the Rapids. And I always text him before and after the matchups. So I texted him after this match. And I was like, damn, Chris, you didn't have to do us like that. And he texted back. He's like, thanks for reaching out. It was a good game. We always have to bring our our A game when we face Denver. They're a strong side. but yeah, they're just they're such a a nightmare matchup for us. I mean, Temua Chewing is a a nightmare matchup for anyone. And she was causing so much trouble. The The battle she had with Ayo, down her left, Io's right, I thought those were were epic throughout the game. Tim was getting one-on-ones with Ava, which was consistently getting Haley Hopkins open in that middle channel. Hence Haley Hopkins times three. I feel like that's gonna be my Beetlejuice for the the Halloween season. Hayley Hopkins, Haley Hopkins, Haley Hopkins. And then she appears and we're all frightened. but yeah, going into the post-game, same thing. Didn't sugarcoat it. Nick didn't, Janine didn't. I I asked Nick about The match and and what it is about KC that is just something they haven't unlocked yet, in their ability to to summit it. and he he was pretty, pretty plain spoken. And he said that the game plan worked. You saw that in the first, I think it was like 23, 24 minutes, where we had possession. We were moving it around and we were limiting their ability to be a threat. and and that does. Does hold true. You go back and watch the film and you know, you see Lindsay's goal, you see the opportunities we're creating, we see the lack of opportunities we're creating for Kansas City current, but that team, they just need the dam to break just a little bit and then it's just a full rush. Yeah, I I think kudos to to Haley, to Temwa, kudos to to Kaylee Kurtz, to Ava for the the shift they were they were putting in. Janine in the postgame talked about trying to make sure that either she or Ayo, one of them, was was back with the two center backs at all times. But to to be on an island like that as a center back when you have these threats just countering at you, it it's I feel like that that meme of Jon Snow. in Game of Thrones, like just by himself with a sword while all the horses are coming. so kudos to them. I think Kaylee Kurtz i specifically was having a really strong game and really showing her her veteran presence and leadership and and helping organize back there. Yeah.
Kali: Just a bummer overall. Like I think we've seen such a momentum shift in this latter half of the season. So to see the was a result like that at least, even with all the positives that you can find throughout it, it's just a bummer. And I know that they feel it significantly more than we do. Well, even though that wasn't the result that we wanted, the math could still be math. Tell us what our chances are looking like for the playoffs.
Matt: All right, just like we've done the last two weeks, let's go to the table to check the standings. Still up top. Gotham sitting in first place with 54 points. San Diego Wave in second with 48 points. Washington Spirit in third with 46. Fourth place, Utah Royals with 45 points. Portland Thorns in fifth with 43. And here comes that 6'7 slot where we're really hoping we can slide in. Sixth is Angel City FC with 42 points. That draw against Angel City really coming back to haunt us a little bit there. Casey Current in seventh place with 41 points. The loss to Casey Current, self-explanatory for the table position. Seattle Rain in eighth place with 40 points. And then the North Carolina Courage just above us in ninth place with 39 points to our 10th place and 35 points. I won't count out Orlando Pride or Houston Dash yet, who sit in 11th and 12th with 33 and 30. But I would like to tip our caps, pour one out to our first exits from the 2026 NWSL postseason in BFC, Boston Legacy, Emma Sears former team, Mallory Swanson's former team. It was a it was a memorable season. Alas, you are gone too soon.
Kali: Matt Matt, you cannot say former teams.
Matt: Hey, come on. It's like a dream board. I'm all about manifesting. Like
Kali: Okay, former team Asterix, it's on Matt's vision board, not actual fact facts that we're reporting.
Matt: Fine, it's it's not as fun, but I'll say racing Louisville and Chicago stars. There, are you happy?
Kali: I am a little more happier now that we're more accurate, yes.
Matt: Man. and just to reiterate that the two of the teams left on our schedule this season are the ones above us on the playoff table. We've we've got that North Carolina match in November on the first, and we've got Angel City for the second leg back here at Centennial Stadium. Those need to be six-point games. Let's go into the math. So the loss to KC was pretty much a worst case scenario for us as they were occupying the eighth space, now jumped up to seventh, and we really needed to get a six-point game out of that match. It doesn't eliminate us though, and we do still control our destiny. We've got four games left, 12 points up for grabs. That can take us from 35 to 47, and we're still sitting in win and in territory. That arbitrary playoff line that we were talking about in the past few episodes had gone from 44 to 46. Now look like it's hovering around 45.5. They don't give half points even for style, which I think we should get. So let's just say we need to get 46, and there's really no way for us to get 46 without getting 47. So I just say we went on out and do the whole damn thing. We knew that we had a loss and a draw in our pocket. When we talked about this for the full six-game season final, we I personally thought that that loss was gonna come to North Carolina Courage and the draw would come against KC Current, but Bay FC and Casey Current had other ideas, not nice. I kind of wanted to be right on that one. Nevertheless, we can still see the top of the mountain, and to get there, it's through Chicago. It's through Los Angeles. It's through Louisville. It's through North Carolina. Two of which are home. One of which we already beat 6'1. And frankly, I think a rendezvous in Raleigh on November 1st could be for all the marbles for both teams. So you'll recall North Carolina sitting in ninth place on the table. And wouldn't that be poetic for Kurt Johnson's inaugural roster here in Denver? To clinch their first ever playoff berth against the North Carolinian pitch he called home for so long. There are quite a few Carolinians and Carolina adjacent folks in this organization. And if we were to pull off our first playoff entrance in Raleigh, I think the streets would overflow with cheer wine. If you haven't had cheerwine, go to Rise and Shine Biscuit Co., the one by me right on Tennyson and 32nd. I would highly recommend. They have two other locations around Denver. Shout out Rise and Shine Biscuit Co. They do not give us free biscuits for this. I like them that much. That said, just to hedge the math, I'm I'm giving you the expected playoff line of that 45-46, giving you the win and we're in scenario. However, Denver could lose, knock on wood, or draw a match in this slate of four. and still find themselves with a chance to dance with a little help from our friends. So let's not write anything off. We still control our destiny and even after that we still have a chance. I think the important thing is as we go into this match preview for Chicago, we know that it it's it's ours to lose.
Kali: I like what you say there about it's our destiny that we can control. It's ours to lose. It is up to the summit. It is their charge. Whatever they wanna do, they can make happen. Now we'll see how it goes.
Matt: Like you like like like you said earlier, like nothing the summit have done, nothing about this team, its timelines, its infrastructure has been easy. It it's all been it's all been the hard way and quickly at that and we've loved the results so far. So what's what's four more the hard way to get into the playoffs?
Kali: It's little drama to keep us on our feet, you know?
Matt: Yeah. I mean, if we were Gotham right now and knew these next four games didn't match, like that'd be so boring. I'd hate that. I would love that. I'm just kidding, guys. If we had already clinched the playoffs like
Kali: So boring. Yeah.
Matt: me and Janine would have more years put back on our lives.
Kali: I've I've seen significantly more gray hairs, Matt, from you in this past couple of weeks. So I get it. I see it.
Matt: Hold you that in confidence.
Kali: Well, I think going into af after Casey Current going into a game against Chicago, A, I don't want to see anybody underestimating anybody, but B, I think, based off our last matchup, there's a pretty good shot we can pull out a win here. What does that match look like?
Matt: Yeah, so Sunday fun day in the city where Dave Matthews tour bus dumped 800 pounds of poop off the Kinsey Bridge and onto Chicago's little lady. Sounds fun, right? No?
Kali: What what what are you talking about? That is so gross. I like Chicago, but I don't know this lore.
Matt: This is a this is a real thing. August eighth, two thousand and four, one of Dave Matthews band's tour buses accidentally vacated the contents of their their gray water tank from their from their tour bus bathroom through the grates of the Kinsey Bridge in Chicago at the exact time an architectural sightseeing boat Chicago's Little Lady was going under the bridge. I know all of this because I went to see a fantastic play called Eyes Up, Mouth Agape by the Buntport Theater Company. Shout out Buntport Theater. It's right there on 717 Le Pan Street, right here in Denver. It's a local black box theater. They recently just bought the whole building, so they have many more performances to come, and their future is a little bit more secure. They put on amazing shows. This was a comedy
Kali: Okay. Okay.
Matt: about that, which Kaylee,
Kali: What?
Matt: I do want to point out, I watched a comedy about Dave Matthews band dumping the toilet tank contents of their tour bus on a boat in Chicago. just a couple seats down from Denver mayor Mike Johnston, who one of his best buds is a featured player in this theater troupe. Gotta love Denver, right?
Kali: What in the world did you just say to me? That is the most random information. I could not have literally not a single part of me could have ever guessed what you were going to say in this podcast episode with that. First of all, when did this happen?
Matt: October or sorry, August eighth, two thousand and four. Yeah. So I went to see this I went to s
Kali: Okay, and when did you see the play?
Matt: on the twentieth anniversary with the mayor of Denver. Yeah. Yep.
Kali: Did you guys plan that to go together? Was it just happenstance? You ran into each other?
Matt: Yeah, I I s I texted him. I said, Mayor Mike, wanna get up to some shit? And he was like, Yeah.
Kali: I'm so uncomfortable with all of this information. I don't like that that happened. I'm love that love the arts.
Matt: The Dave Matthews band settled for $200,000 with the city of Chicago and then donated
Kali: That's it?
Matt: donated another hundred thousand dollars to I think the Clean River Fund in Chicago. Yeah. It's a wild story.
Kali: Okay, but what about the literal patrons that got crap dumped on them?
Matt: So I don't want to talk about that. I want to talk about this. Buntport Theater is debuting their newest performance, a brand new comedy called Vampire of Lafayette in conjunction with the Lafayette History Museum. It debuts tomorrow night. It's already sold out, guys. Already sold out. It runs through October 25th. Go to Buntport.com, get your tickets. I promise you, I go see everything they do. They are Hilarious. was it Edgar Allan Poe is dead and so is my cat is one of their other ones. That just
Kali: Yeah.
Matt: so funny. Guys, I can't like support local theater.
Kali: Okay, yes, support the arts. Obviously, obviously. That sounds like an incredible group to support. I just can't believe I'm gonna have to sit with this for a moment because I have done that architecture tour. It's phenomenal. I am so glad I didn't do it in 2004.
Matt: Yeah. We I hope you did it on August seventh.
Kali: No, I did not do it August 7, 2004. And I am counting my lucky stars right now that I did not do it then. So I am very taken aback by that. I did not think that that is where our Chicago preview was going. so yeah, really excited to see how you tied that one in.
Matt: you want a preview? Okay, okay. Speaking of the space between, it was five goals wide last time these two matched up. Some that were up and away the better team with six sweet goals, could have been seven, from the likes of Liv Thomas, Yuzu Yamamoto, Tash Flint, Janine Saunas, and a two-step brace from Melissa Kossler. Julia Grosso crashed our party a bit, crushed our clean sheet dream girl, but Chicago was. Already done digging a ditch. Only thing of note: back in August, the stars were without Star Coloradan, Mal Swanson, and hadn't yet said save me to Vladko Andinovsky, who at that time was just a satellite orbiting over Kansas City. All of that, so much to say that I don't think Chicago has done too much recently to beat the best of what's around. But I wouldn't expect mercy from a star side full of players looking to audition for next season, especially knowing here on out that Denver needs to win to get into the postseason. Enough with the stars, though. I stay wasting time on the opponent when the big news is every day that goes by this week, we'd be so damn lucky to have Naomi Eto get into a typical situation in training. I know it's out of my hands, and I Don't want to get y'all too high on this, but you'd have to be a fool to think anything but it could happen after all. That is, she could debut this Sunday, dive into the match, drive in, drive out of Chicago's box, and run with the ball. So, right away, before we get ahead of ourselves, you and me know, Kaylee, it's steady as we go. Don't take the stars for granted and come home with three points. And another thing. I want to say hello again to the one Dave Matthews band fan that enjoyed this segment. I did it. And no, I don't know why I am the way I am. There's no rhyme and reason. I can't stop. I originally said I was going for 34 or 35, but I hit 41, which is my score prediction for one summit.
Kali: Wow, that was something, Matt. That was quite the preview that we've heard so far this season. And yeah, if you are that one Dave Matthews fan listening to this podcast and you did enjoy that, please let me know because I'm gonna need a reason to not have to vet Matt's notes next time.
Matt: Please, someone call into Kaylee so I get my microphone back. I'm losing privileges. I think the actually the good thing is in in Riverside a recording platform, I think the mute button for for all parties is on my side, so I should be good.
Kali: Yeah. Mm-hmm. We'll see about that. Anyways, my all jokes aside, couldn't do this without you, Matt. This is a fun time. You keep me on my toes, keep me young. So I appreciate it. But maybe next episode we can have a little less poop talk. That'd be great. my prediction.
Matt: Can I can I do an entire preview using song titles from another band next episode? You can submit the band.
Kali: Yeah, I'm not opposed to that. I'm opposed to like the airtime
Matt: It can't be Noah Khan unless it's a really bad loss 'cause it'd just be too sad.
Kali: Well it kind of was with Casey Current, so
Matt: Well, we'll have to wait till next season 'cause no more losses.
Kali: No more losses, that's right. And on that note, I I like your prediction for one. And I'm gonna change it up though. I think we're gonna go three zero. I think we're gonna get a clean sheet, but I don't think we're gonna see the absolute insanity that was six goals from last g last game. So three zero. I think we're gonna see a goal from Lindsay. I think we're gonna see a goal from Tash. And I think we're gonna see a goal from yes. That's where I think our goals will come from. And Abby will obviously block everything out with. Her incredible skills and heart.
Matt: Yeah, I mean it's an away game. I this isn't a slight to Abbey or or the defense or anything. I just think it's hard to predict a clean sheet when you go on the road. especially with Chicago kind of feeling reinvigorated with the Vlat co hiring. I think Mal just had a a goal and assist two games back. So getting into really good form. They they are gonna be without Manaka Hayashi, the midfielder that played against us back in August. She plays for I think it's Juventus now. so maybe that's another thing in our in our favor is one One less cone in the middle of the road for us to drive to goal. I'm hedging and saying four instead of six because I don't want to be greedy. I want to save some goals for North Carolina and Raleigh on November 1st. I think goal scorers are gonna be Janine Sonis. I think Naomieto plays and gets a goal. I think Yuzu gets a goal. I would love to see who do I want? Let's get Ayo. Let's get Ayo on the score sheet. Naomi, Ayo, Janine, and Yuzu. I like it. Four one. One comes from Mal Swanson. The Colorado girls tend to score against Colorado. It's just something that happens.
Kali: I like it, I like your lineup and I like your goal scores. That sounds for a very fun game. and I guess we'll just have to see which one of us is right.
Matt: Yeah, and listeners, this is remember, Sunday afternoon. This kicks off two PM our time. So finish brunch early, knock back your mimosas, eat your eggs benny, like get ready. Just like we had breakfast ball last weekend. We've got lunch ball this weekend. And then you got the rest of your Sunday after that to celebrate three points.
Kali: That's right, to celebrate.
Matt: Because, and don't forget Porch Fest this weekend, guys. Someone aren't playing on Saturday. That means you can go to Porch Fest down in Baker, see all sorts of local bands. It's going to be a blast. I will be there seeing my friend play. she goes by the stage name Bertie. shout out to to Mags. she's gonna be playing Porch Fest and I'm excited for that. Go see her, go see everybody else. Support local music, just like we said, support local theater and you already support local socks.
Kali: And if there's not a better way to wrap up this podcast, I don't think it exists. So as always, be sure to check us out on socials, sum it up show on Instagram, and sum it up on Blue Sky. Until next time, sum it up!
Matt: Summed
Matt: I I just have a qu do you think you could recite the the podcast intro like in your sleep? If I just randomly called you on the street and said, say it, could you do it?
Kali: I mean I d I do sometimes like wake up in the middle of the night and I'm like, welcome to sum it up. And that's what's playing in my head. So
Matt: To we we need to start making money on this to pay for Ryan's sleep therapy bills then.
Kali: Well, randomly he will like just zero in on something that we say on the podcast. And it's usually something that I say that I'm like, why did I say it that way? And he will just repeat it over and over. And so sometimes he'll be like, You're a one stop shop. And I'm like, all right, that's enough. So the answer is yeah. Yeah, I do. I I probably could recite it, but I do read it just to make sure I don't mess up.
Matt: speaking of that, I forgot to say Allie's down for the the swap. She did ask if I would do the notes though.
Kali: Okay.
Matt: so just have like do the stat crunch for for her so she has something to read off of it. She's totally fun to jump in.
Kali: my gosh, you guys, okay. I'm gonna need people in the DMs to request if this is something people actually want because otherwise I think Brian's gonna be a harder sell. I think he's gonna be like, What? So we'll see.
Matt: All right. Well, speaking of not hard sells, we already talked about it, but the the call-ups for US and Germany that were yet to come last episode have come. We have Lindsay, Ava, and Ayo called up to the US women's national team and US women's U twenty three national team. We also have Melissa Kostler called up to the Germany national team. So I think that makes it one, two. Three, four, five, six, six call ups, seven call ups. Crazy.
Kali: I think that's right at this point, yeah.
Matt: Yeah, across four countries Japan, Canada, US, Germany. What am I missing? Am I missing anything?
Kali: Mm mm. I'm having trouble remembering off the top of my head. I think you've got it though.
Matt: Naomi would be called up to Cameroon had they not just finished the Af African conference championship, which they won. which brings me to my next piece of peak to peak news and I have a prop for this. Kayleigh, you ready?
Kali: A prop. my goodness. If you guys can
Matt: I said there'd be signs. Got the Pip Vipers
Kali: If
Matt: on.
Kali: if you could see Matt right now, this is gonna have to be a clip that we use for socials because what a look that is, Matt.
Matt: Look, we stand a pit viper sporting WAFCON Trophy Holding Champion, Cameroonian Naomi Eto touchdown in Colorado last week. It was after we recorded the episode, so we didn't get to put it in. But I said if we knew, we might not tell you, but there'd be signs and I got a sign. the this is
Kali: Big side.
Matt: this is crazy too because Naomi's birthday was last Wednesday. So happy bladed birthday. If you haven't seen her, told her on social, like get it out there. butcher the French, but Joyeux Aniversary. she she traveled 20 she traveled 24
Kali: Better than I could do.
Matt: hours to get here on her birthday to be here to play for your Denver summit after
Kali: That's a dedicated teammate right there. Yep.
Matt: just winning a championship, like wasn't off gallivanting.
Kali: And she's probably tired.
Matt: Yeah. Kurt Kurt did say that. He's he did say, I think she's a little tired, but I expect the soccer to happen sooner rather than later. obviously she she didn't play in the KC current match last weekend. Spoiler alert for the game we'll recap later. But we'll we'll talk more about her prospects for the upcoming match in Chicago. I did fanboy a little bit, I I got myself a little bit in trouble. Like she she came over to to near the press area. And I and I just kind of like sidled and I was like, Naomi, I have to say, welcome. So excited you're here. Congratulations on the championship. I'm a I'm a big fan of African soccer and watching Cameroon win that championship, texting one of my best soccer buds who's from Cameroon about it. and then and then telling him that we we brought her over to the team. he was super stoked. so yeah, it it's fun. Like we meet all the players, we go to so many games. I know like When you're covering things you can get a little callous, but like first time in a long time, like I I I got a little like, this is really, really cool. She just hoisted a whole continental trophy. Like, this is great.
Kali: I mean hey, you we gotta act professional, but we can be fans too, you know?
Matt: all right. Well, in other exciting news, I'm gonna take the pit vipers off, put the regular glasses back on so I can read my notes. on social media at the groundbreaking around the f facility, Nahikari Garcia is up and walking about again. if you don't remember, she had ACL surgery. she's been diligently doing her recovery process. It's been really heartening to see the videos of both her and Jasmine Iike in the the summit gym together working out. That was something that they both talked about. you never want anyone to get injured, obviously, but it's been really nice for those two teammates to have each other through this recovery process. Nahi Kari specifically saying it's it's been great to see that Jazz is just a few months ahead of her. So, like everything she does, she can see what the future looks like and that that gives her hope. so we're big Nahi fans. It w it was awesome to to get that news, to, to see her smiling and and with the whole team at the groundbreaking today. And we're we're in for a speedy recovery. As a lead into the groundbreaking, I was chatting with Molly Cohen, which as always, shout out Molly Cohen. as I was walking into to the event today. And we were talking about the the attention to detail. And she was telling me it's just it's just such a a team effort. It's such a club, such an organizational effort. And she she Recited a story to me about the youth clinic they just did in Sheridan. and after they they did some drills, taught some soccer to some kids, there was the inevitable teardown, breakdown of the event to happen. And wouldn't you know it, goalkeeper to the stars, number one in our hearts, Abby Smith is just out there breaking down tents, wasn't asked, one of the last people there, just making sure everything gets puts away. And Molly got so nervous. She's like, Abby, no, not your hands. We can't get your hands pinched in any of these tents. I'll do it. So I'm just imagining like in Sheridan, Colorado, there's this event and you could just see Abby Smith and Molly Cohen taking down summit tents together. And if that's not just the perfect encapsulation of this team, then then I don't know what is.
Kali: I mean that's like you said, that's a perfect encapsulation and exactly what I envision from every angle of this team. It is a full effort for the community. And that's really sweet. But yeah, Abby, why don't we why don't we not do any sort of labor unnecessarily? Let's protect those hands. Hopefully they're insured.
Matt: Yeah, kick the soccer balls back into the bag, but like let's yet how much do you think goalkeeper hands can get insured for? We get we gotta look next episode. I don't wanna deep dive right now, but I bet
Kali: Yeah.
Matt: that's a thing.
Kali: It is a thing because doctors can get their hands insured, so it totally is a thing.
Matt: Yeah, it's like I would say like what, each of Abby Smith's fingers are worth like fifty K. So it's like half half a milli like in the in the mitts.
Kali: I don't know. I don't even have a single like clue of where that starts.
Matt: If you are listening and work for an insurance firm, slide in our DMs. Let us know what the going rate is for star goalkeeper mid insurance policies. Yeah.
Kali: my goodness. Well, moving on to talking more about the groundbreaking ceremony. We've talked about it a little bit on socials already, and we teased it at the beginning of this. But you guys, we had the best morning at the groundbreaking ceremony. So if you aren't familiar with what I mean when I say that, they broke ground in Santa Fe Yards today. and it was a just wonderful time of blessing the land. really being intentional with the history of their neighborhoods, the history of the property, the history of every avenue that goes into a project like this. And again, I'm not shocked that it was incredibly intentional and that it was done correctly and appropriately and wonderfully. But again, it's just goosebumps being there. We heard from Rob Cohen, Mary Mike Johnson, and Jen Millet and we'll include Jen's speech here for you to listen to. Okay, so I mean, I absolutely teared up during her speech. It is such an incredible part of this podcast is getting to cover something that we care so much about. And as a woman who played sports and coached sports and cares about sports, it is just so great to see what an example that Jen Rob and the whole community that is surrounding Denver Summit is making. So Jen was thinking in her speech a lot of different people. But my favorite quote from her speech today was to everyone who looked at this empty lot and saw a future of Colorado sports, our partners, our investors, our staff, our players, our supporters, and the people of Denver, thank you for building with us. Soon this dirt will become a field filled with tens of thousands. And when a young girl walks through downtown Denver, looks up at these gates, and steps inside, she won't see borrowed space. She will see a cathedral built for her potential. She will learn without anyone having to say a word that she's allowed to stand tall, make noise, and take up all the space in the world. I mean, I have goosebumps, I might start crying again. Like that is just incr like, yes, that is why. That is why we do this. That's why we cover this the team. Yes, soccer is fun, but it is so much more than that when it comes to women's sports. So Again, you guys that by this point know me to get a little bit hyped up and just overly elated for this side of the podcast. But it's it's really refreshing to see. And it's really and fr like refreshing just to see the the money, the time, the investment, the details back up. That yeah, we wanna have a soccer team here. We wanna invest in women's sports. And this is what it looks like. This is a master class of what it looks like to invest in women's sports. So All have to say is I had a great time at the groundbreaking ceremony. it was phenomenally done. Shout out to the marketing team, shout out to the comms team. I mean, top to bottom from setting up chairs to speeches. Great, great morning. Matt, anything to add?
Matt: Yeah, I think I mean you nailed it with Jen's speech. I was I was tearing up just hearing the the emotion of her talking about what this means to her, what the vision is for the community. I loved, I think the line she said was, This is Rob's and Molly's love letter to Denver. And like we've talked about it on the show before. and I don't want it to come across as too sacrament, but like this family, Rob and Molly, the Coens, what they've been trying to do in Denver. For sports for 30 years, specifically women's sports. I mean, Colorado or sorry, Denver Sports Authority with the Olympics bid, trying to get a WNBA team, finally getting the first women's professional team here, the Denver Summit. Like, you don't do things like that without it being a love letter to the community that you're you're so ingrained with. And seeing all the people in the audience today. seeing all the people up on the stage, seeing all the players take a shovel and throw the dirt. Like these are all different love letters from these people to Denver. And I'm so excited in in two years when that stadium opens up for the first match, it's gonna be amazing.
Kali: You mean when that cathedral opens for the first match? Because I think that is it will feel like a religious experience. I mean, my goodness, I can't wait for that for that day. And, you know, everyone talks about the bridge to nowhere that is right there when you enter Santa Fe Yards. And I think it's the bridge to dreams, the bridge to everywhere, the bridge to the moon. I mean, it is like it feels like the sky's the limit when everyone comes together to talk about this vision and how they're executing this vision. And at this point, I guess this is our love letter, Matt, to the whole community of building this team because guys, we are not this is just of our own fruition and like fandom of how thrilled we are to see something done so well. There's no one that's like, you know what, you guys should really talk more about Cohen family and and the the front office and everyone. Like that's just us being excited and me being a marketing nerd at the same time. So
Matt: No. Emily Ramondi's slipping me like half day summit.
Kali: No, she would never
Matt: No.
Kali: No, no, no, no. There's literally a
Matt: They had green paper towels in the bathroom, evergreen paper towels in the bathroom. I I like come from a long,
Kali: Matt Matt was very excited about that.
Matt: a long period in the hospitality industry, and like that sort of forethought, attention to D detail, that that hospitality never gets lost on me. And I was so stoked to see that. Another thing that I I got really excited, you talked about the bridge to nowhere. I I biked to the event on my on my e-bike. I lived just up the Platte Creek bike trail. Platte River Bike Trail, sorry. and super easy ride, beautiful morning. I coast down that, turn left on Mississippi, turn left into the event on Bannock, and then I see the bridge to nowhere. And for the first time since 2017, when I moved to Denver, I actually saw someone do something with it. It was clad in those huge summit player banners. You've all seen at many different events and at the stadium by now. Both sides of it, it just it It really like hit home, like something is happening in a place where so many people have wanted something to happen for so long. And even for the attention to detail aspect, Naomieto touched down Thursday, she had a banner right up there. Like no one's left out in this in this tent. This is a big tent and everyone come inside.
Kali: I love that. And you know, there's we got to talk to a couple we got to listen to a fireside chat with Janine and Ava. We got to talk to Lindsay. We got to talk to Jen. And we got to talk to Elizabeth Irfling. Everyone just again thrilled at where we're at in the progress and what this will represent and what this will provide for the community. So here are a couple of the clips from our conversations with them today. Okay, moving on from our wonderful, wonderful morning that we had at the ceremony today, let's talk what
Matt: Hold on. Yeah. So just to reiterate, if you didn't hear us in the lead up, if you didn't hear from these clips, the construction that broke around today is going to be for all of the utilities, the water, the electric construction for the stadium proper will begin in earnest next summer. We are currently on a timeline of the end of 2028. So I think we we'd be hard pressed to see a match that isn't the playoffs. At Santa Fe Yards in twenty eight, this might be a debut in twenty twenty nine thing happens, but nevertheless wanted to make sure that you had those those dates on your calendar.
Kali: Hey, I wanna keep h hope that it will be finished in twenty twenty eight. They said fall twenty twenty eight. Let's let's hold out hope. They've delivered on a lot of things well.
Matt: Well, that's why I said playoffs. I mean, it's a foregone conclusion. Plus, I mean, we could probably host host the championship next year at the the brand new or twenty twenty eight in the stadium.
Kali: Yeah, obviously. I mean w we would need to, probably.
Matt: You hear that, Jessica Berman?
Kali: Well, moving on from
Matt: Okay. Twa twenty twenty twenty twenty eight Women's Club World Cup. We could host that. we could host the NWSL Championship. We'll go out and see our players in the Los Angeles Olympics. Like big year. Big, big year.
Kali: Big year. Alright, moving on from our wonderful morning to the Casey Current recap. A little bit less fun than our morning that we had. But nonetheless, still good things to talk about. You know, there's always something good as your resident optimist here. So Denver's sixth match unbeaten run came to quite the abrupt end in Kansas City, with the Denver Summit falling 4-1 to the current, despite getting off to a pretty ideal start. Lindsay Heaps was red hot, putting Denver ahead in the 13th minute with her third goal of the season and her fifth goal contribution in just four matches. Now, since returning to the N-DB Cell, In July, Heaps now has three goals, three assists, and nine appearances. The goal also extended Denver's scoring streak to six straight matches and brought the summit to 42 goals on the season so far. So, but then came the moment of the game for Abby Smith. Ayo was called for a foul on Timo Chiwinga inside the box, sending DeBinya into the spot for the 35th minute. Smith read The goal perfectly. Diving to her right, her first penalty saved of the season, and handing Divinia her first failed penalty attempt since 2019. This sh really should have been our moment. It really should have been the momentum shift, but unfortunately, that is not what happened. Haley Hopkins.
Matt: Before you before you go before you go into what happened, I do want to point out, I think I've only seen Abby Smith guess wrong for one penalty this season. She always knows. And I was so stoked for that that diligence in studying PK ten tendencies of players and being prepared for it to pay off and her to get get the mid on this one and swipe that away. That that doesn't go unseen, Abby. Like preternatural ability to know where the ball's gonna go.
Kali: Totally. I mean, yeah, it was an absolutely huge moment. Until Haley Hopkins found the equalizer just before halftime, sending the team into the break tied at 1-1. After the last several matches, I feel like there has been this hope, this excitement, this okay, we'll come back. Second half, let's see it. And then the second half really just got away from Denver fast. Hopkins scored again in the 47th, completing her first career hat trick in the fifty-seventh, off an assist from Joenga. And then suddenly Denver was staring at a three-one deficit. Joinga put the finishing touch on it in the 76th minute, scoring off of Vanessa Di Bernardo's back heel to make it 4-1. Kansas City finished with a 22-7 advantage in shots while Abby still recorded six saves for Denver. So definitely a tough, tough afternoon for the summit. The loss snapped Denver's sixth match unbeaten run and marked their first defeat after scoring first since May 3rd against Boston. Meanwhile, Kansas City extended its NWSL Cell record regular season home unbeaten strip streak to 30 matches. Denver leaves KC at 99 and 8 with 35 points as of the end of the match, sitting 10th on the table after this game with four regular season games left. Not exactly the result we were looking for in this playoff push, but hey, Lindsay. continues to be a massive difference maker since returning and now the summit will have to turn the page and quickly see what Chicago has up there slave. Matt, watching this game
Matt: Yeah. I I
Kali: and then going into the postgame presser, ugh, talk to us.
Matt: I feel like this is where where the people that say we're we're too nice and and too positive about things, this is where it comes
Kali: Yeah.
Matt: back. Because to be honest, I don't think there was a lot to be positive about in this match. I think I've only seen the the summit just summarily beaten this season twice and both times were by the KC current. I I got to know Chris Armist with when he was the coach of the Rapids. And I always text him before and after the matchups. So I texted him after this match. And I was like, damn, Chris, you didn't have to do us like that. And he texted back. He's like, thanks for reaching out. It was a good game. We always have to bring our our A game when we face Denver. They're a strong side. but yeah, they're just they're such a a nightmare matchup for us. I mean, Temua Chewing is a a nightmare matchup for anyone. And she was causing so much trouble. The The battle she had with Ayo, down her left, Io's right, I thought those were were epic throughout the game. Tim was getting one-on-ones with Ava, which was consistently getting Haley Hopkins open in that middle channel. Hence Haley Hopkins times three. I feel like that's gonna be my Beetlejuice for the the Halloween season. Hayley Hopkins, Haley Hopkins, Haley Hopkins. And then she appears and we're all frightened. but yeah, going into the post-game, same thing. Didn't sugarcoat it. Nick didn't, Janine didn't. I I asked Nick about The match and and what it is about KC that is just something they haven't unlocked yet, in their ability to to summit it. and he he was pretty, pretty plain spoken. And he said that the game plan worked. You saw that in the first, I think it was like 23, 24 minutes, where we had possession. We were moving it around and we were limiting their ability to be a threat. and and that does. Does hold true. You go back and watch the film and you know, you see Lindsay's goal, you see the opportunities we're creating, we see the lack of opportunities we're creating for Kansas City current, but that team, they just need the dam to break just a little bit and then it's just a full rush. Yeah, I I think kudos to to Haley, to Temwa, kudos to to Kaylee Kurtz, to Ava for the the shift they were they were putting in. Janine in the postgame talked about trying to make sure that either she or Ayo, one of them, was was back with the two center backs at all times. But to to be on an island like that as a center back when you have these threats just countering at you, it it's I feel like that that meme of Jon Snow. in Game of Thrones, like just by himself with a sword while all the horses are coming. so kudos to them. I think Kaylee Kurtz i specifically was having a really strong game and really showing her her veteran presence and leadership and and helping organize back there. Yeah.
Kali: Just a bummer overall. Like I think we've seen such a momentum shift in this latter half of the season. So to see the was a result like that at least, even with all the positives that you can find throughout it, it's just a bummer. And I know that they feel it significantly more than we do. Well, even though that wasn't the result that we wanted, the math could still be math. Tell us what our chances are looking like for the playoffs.
Matt: All right, just like we've done the last two weeks, let's go to the table to check the standings. Still up top. Gotham sitting in first place with 54 points. San Diego Wave in second with 48 points. Washington Spirit in third with 46. Fourth place, Utah Royals with 45 points. Portland Thorns in fifth with 43. And here comes that 6'7 slot where we're really hoping we can slide in. Sixth is Angel City FC with 42 points. That draw against Angel City really coming back to haunt us a little bit there. Casey Current in seventh place with 41 points. The loss to Casey Current, self-explanatory for the table position. Seattle Rain in eighth place with 40 points. And then the North Carolina Courage just above us in ninth place with 39 points to our 10th place and 35 points. I won't count out Orlando Pride or Houston Dash yet, who sit in 11th and 12th with 33 and 30. But I would like to tip our caps, pour one out to our first exits from the 2026 NWSL postseason in BFC, Boston Legacy, Emma Sears former team, Mallory Swanson's former team. It was a it was a memorable season. Alas, you are gone too soon.
Kali: Matt Matt, you cannot say former teams.
Matt: Hey, come on. It's like a dream board. I'm all about manifesting. Like
Kali: Okay, former team Asterix, it's on Matt's vision board, not actual fact facts that we're reporting.
Matt: Fine, it's it's not as fun, but I'll say racing Louisville and Chicago stars. There, are you happy?
Kali: I am a little more happier now that we're more accurate, yes.
Matt: Man. and just to reiterate that the two of the teams left on our schedule this season are the ones above us on the playoff table. We've we've got that North Carolina match in November on the first, and we've got Angel City for the second leg back here at Centennial Stadium. Those need to be six-point games. Let's go into the math. So the loss to KC was pretty much a worst case scenario for us as they were occupying the eighth space, now jumped up to seventh, and we really needed to get a six-point game out of that match. It doesn't eliminate us though, and we do still control our destiny. We've got four games left, 12 points up for grabs. That can take us from 35 to 47, and we're still sitting in win and in territory. That arbitrary playoff line that we were talking about in the past few episodes had gone from 44 to 46. Now look like it's hovering around 45.5. They don't give half points even for style, which I think we should get. So let's just say we need to get 46, and there's really no way for us to get 46 without getting 47. So I just say we went on out and do the whole damn thing. We knew that we had a loss and a draw in our pocket. When we talked about this for the full six-game season final, we I personally thought that that loss was gonna come to North Carolina Courage and the draw would come against KC Current, but Bay FC and Casey Current had other ideas, not nice. I kind of wanted to be right on that one. Nevertheless, we can still see the top of the mountain, and to get there, it's through Chicago. It's through Los Angeles. It's through Louisville. It's through North Carolina. Two of which are home. One of which we already beat 6'1. And frankly, I think a rendezvous in Raleigh on November 1st could be for all the marbles for both teams. So you'll recall North Carolina sitting in ninth place on the table. And wouldn't that be poetic for Kurt Johnson's inaugural roster here in Denver? To clinch their first ever playoff berth against the North Carolinian pitch he called home for so long. There are quite a few Carolinians and Carolina adjacent folks in this organization. And if we were to pull off our first playoff entrance in Raleigh, I think the streets would overflow with cheer wine. If you haven't had cheerwine, go to Rise and Shine Biscuit Co., the one by me right on Tennyson and 32nd. I would highly recommend. They have two other locations around Denver. Shout out Rise and Shine Biscuit Co. They do not give us free biscuits for this. I like them that much. That said, just to hedge the math, I'm I'm giving you the expected playoff line of that 45-46, giving you the win and we're in scenario. However, Denver could lose, knock on wood, or draw a match in this slate of four. and still find themselves with a chance to dance with a little help from our friends. So let's not write anything off. We still control our destiny and even after that we still have a chance. I think the important thing is as we go into this match preview for Chicago, we know that it it's it's ours to lose.
Kali: I like what you say there about it's our destiny that we can control. It's ours to lose. It is up to the summit. It is their charge. Whatever they wanna do, they can make happen. Now we'll see how it goes.
Matt: Like you like like like you said earlier, like nothing the summit have done, nothing about this team, its timelines, its infrastructure has been easy. It it's all been it's all been the hard way and quickly at that and we've loved the results so far. So what's what's four more the hard way to get into the playoffs?
Kali: It's little drama to keep us on our feet, you know?
Matt: Yeah. I mean, if we were Gotham right now and knew these next four games didn't match, like that'd be so boring. I'd hate that. I would love that. I'm just kidding, guys. If we had already clinched the playoffs like
Kali: So boring. Yeah.
Matt: me and Janine would have more years put back on our lives.
Kali: I've I've seen significantly more gray hairs, Matt, from you in this past couple of weeks. So I get it. I see it.
Matt: Hold you that in confidence.
Kali: Well, I think going into af after Casey Current going into a game against Chicago, A, I don't want to see anybody underestimating anybody, but B, I think, based off our last matchup, there's a pretty good shot we can pull out a win here. What does that match look like?
Matt: Yeah, so Sunday fun day in the city where Dave Matthews tour bus dumped 800 pounds of poop off the Kinsey Bridge and onto Chicago's little lady. Sounds fun, right? No?
Kali: What what what are you talking about? That is so gross. I like Chicago, but I don't know this lore.
Matt: This is a this is a real thing. August eighth, two thousand and four, one of Dave Matthews band's tour buses accidentally vacated the contents of their their gray water tank from their from their tour bus bathroom through the grates of the Kinsey Bridge in Chicago at the exact time an architectural sightseeing boat Chicago's Little Lady was going under the bridge. I know all of this because I went to see a fantastic play called Eyes Up, Mouth Agape by the Buntport Theater Company. Shout out Buntport Theater. It's right there on 717 Le Pan Street, right here in Denver. It's a local black box theater. They recently just bought the whole building, so they have many more performances to come, and their future is a little bit more secure. They put on amazing shows. This was a comedy
Kali: Okay. Okay.
Matt: about that, which Kaylee,
Kali: What?
Matt: I do want to point out, I watched a comedy about Dave Matthews band dumping the toilet tank contents of their tour bus on a boat in Chicago. just a couple seats down from Denver mayor Mike Johnston, who one of his best buds is a featured player in this theater troupe. Gotta love Denver, right?
Kali: What in the world did you just say to me? That is the most random information. I could not have literally not a single part of me could have ever guessed what you were going to say in this podcast episode with that. First of all, when did this happen?
Matt: October or sorry, August eighth, two thousand and four. Yeah. So I went to see this I went to s
Kali: Okay, and when did you see the play?
Matt: on the twentieth anniversary with the mayor of Denver. Yeah. Yep.
Kali: Did you guys plan that to go together? Was it just happenstance? You ran into each other?
Matt: Yeah, I I s I texted him. I said, Mayor Mike, wanna get up to some shit? And he was like, Yeah.
Kali: I'm so uncomfortable with all of this information. I don't like that that happened. I'm love that love the arts.
Matt: The Dave Matthews band settled for $200,000 with the city of Chicago and then donated
Kali: That's it?
Matt: donated another hundred thousand dollars to I think the Clean River Fund in Chicago. Yeah. It's a wild story.
Kali: Okay, but what about the literal patrons that got crap dumped on them?
Matt: So I don't want to talk about that. I want to talk about this. Buntport Theater is debuting their newest performance, a brand new comedy called Vampire of Lafayette in conjunction with the Lafayette History Museum. It debuts tomorrow night. It's already sold out, guys. Already sold out. It runs through October 25th. Go to Buntport.com, get your tickets. I promise you, I go see everything they do. They are Hilarious. was it Edgar Allan Poe is dead and so is my cat is one of their other ones. That just
Kali: Yeah.
Matt: so funny. Guys, I can't like support local theater.
Kali: Okay, yes, support the arts. Obviously, obviously. That sounds like an incredible group to support. I just can't believe I'm gonna have to sit with this for a moment because I have done that architecture tour. It's phenomenal. I am so glad I didn't do it in 2004.
Matt: Yeah. We I hope you did it on August seventh.
Kali: No, I did not do it August 7, 2004. And I am counting my lucky stars right now that I did not do it then. So I am very taken aback by that. I did not think that that is where our Chicago preview was going. so yeah, really excited to see how you tied that one in.
Matt: you want a preview? Okay, okay. Speaking of the space between, it was five goals wide last time these two matched up. Some that were up and away the better team with six sweet goals, could have been seven, from the likes of Liv Thomas, Yuzu Yamamoto, Tash Flint, Janine Saunas, and a two-step brace from Melissa Kossler. Julia Grosso crashed our party a bit, crushed our clean sheet dream girl, but Chicago was. Already done digging a ditch. Only thing of note: back in August, the stars were without Star Coloradan, Mal Swanson, and hadn't yet said save me to Vladko Andinovsky, who at that time was just a satellite orbiting over Kansas City. All of that, so much to say that I don't think Chicago has done too much recently to beat the best of what's around. But I wouldn't expect mercy from a star side full of players looking to audition for next season, especially knowing here on out that Denver needs to win to get into the postseason. Enough with the stars, though. I stay wasting time on the opponent when the big news is every day that goes by this week, we'd be so damn lucky to have Naomi Eto get into a typical situation in training. I know it's out of my hands, and I Don't want to get y'all too high on this, but you'd have to be a fool to think anything but it could happen after all. That is, she could debut this Sunday, dive into the match, drive in, drive out of Chicago's box, and run with the ball. So, right away, before we get ahead of ourselves, you and me know, Kaylee, it's steady as we go. Don't take the stars for granted and come home with three points. And another thing. I want to say hello again to the one Dave Matthews band fan that enjoyed this segment. I did it. And no, I don't know why I am the way I am. There's no rhyme and reason. I can't stop. I originally said I was going for 34 or 35, but I hit 41, which is my score prediction for one summit.
Kali: Wow, that was something, Matt. That was quite the preview that we've heard so far this season. And yeah, if you are that one Dave Matthews fan listening to this podcast and you did enjoy that, please let me know because I'm gonna need a reason to not have to vet Matt's notes next time.
Matt: Please, someone call into Kaylee so I get my microphone back. I'm losing privileges. I think the actually the good thing is in in Riverside a recording platform, I think the mute button for for all parties is on my side, so I should be good.
Kali: Yeah. Mm-hmm. We'll see about that. Anyways, my all jokes aside, couldn't do this without you, Matt. This is a fun time. You keep me on my toes, keep me young. So I appreciate it. But maybe next episode we can have a little less poop talk. That'd be great. my prediction.
Matt: Can I can I do an entire preview using song titles from another band next episode? You can submit the band.
Kali: Yeah, I'm not opposed to that. I'm opposed to like the airtime
Matt: It can't be Noah Khan unless it's a really bad loss 'cause it'd just be too sad.
Kali: Well it kind of was with Casey Current, so
Matt: Well, we'll have to wait till next season 'cause no more losses.
Kali: No more losses, that's right. And on that note, I I like your prediction for one. And I'm gonna change it up though. I think we're gonna go three zero. I think we're gonna get a clean sheet, but I don't think we're gonna see the absolute insanity that was six goals from last g last game. So three zero. I think we're gonna see a goal from Lindsay. I think we're gonna see a goal from Tash. And I think we're gonna see a goal from yes. That's where I think our goals will come from. And Abby will obviously block everything out with. Her incredible skills and heart.
Matt: Yeah, I mean it's an away game. I this isn't a slight to Abbey or or the defense or anything. I just think it's hard to predict a clean sheet when you go on the road. especially with Chicago kind of feeling reinvigorated with the Vlat co hiring. I think Mal just had a a goal and assist two games back. So getting into really good form. They they are gonna be without Manaka Hayashi, the midfielder that played against us back in August. She plays for I think it's Juventus now. so maybe that's another thing in our in our favor is one One less cone in the middle of the road for us to drive to goal. I'm hedging and saying four instead of six because I don't want to be greedy. I want to save some goals for North Carolina and Raleigh on November 1st. I think goal scorers are gonna be Janine Sonis. I think Naomieto plays and gets a goal. I think Yuzu gets a goal. I would love to see who do I want? Let's get Ayo. Let's get Ayo on the score sheet. Naomi, Ayo, Janine, and Yuzu. I like it. Four one. One comes from Mal Swanson. The Colorado girls tend to score against Colorado. It's just something that happens.
Kali: I like it, I like your lineup and I like your goal scores. That sounds for a very fun game. and I guess we'll just have to see which one of us is right.
Matt: Yeah, and listeners, this is remember, Sunday afternoon. This kicks off two PM our time. So finish brunch early, knock back your mimosas, eat your eggs benny, like get ready. Just like we had breakfast ball last weekend. We've got lunch ball this weekend. And then you got the rest of your Sunday after that to celebrate three points.
Kali: That's right, to celebrate.
Matt: Because, and don't forget Porch Fest this weekend, guys. Someone aren't playing on Saturday. That means you can go to Porch Fest down in Baker, see all sorts of local bands. It's going to be a blast. I will be there seeing my friend play. she goes by the stage name Bertie. shout out to to Mags. she's gonna be playing Porch Fest and I'm excited for that. Go see her, go see everybody else. Support local music, just like we said, support local theater and you already support local socks.
Kali: And if there's not a better way to wrap up this podcast, I don't think it exists. So as always, be sure to check us out on socials, sum it up show on Instagram, and sum it up on Blue Sky. Until next time, sum it up!
Matt: Summed
