The Blue Testament: for Sporting KC fans

Latest Episodes:

One And OH!: Shades of Blue Soccer Show Mar 06, 2020

Show notes

The trio talks about Sporting Kansas City's first win of 2020 including great showings from Luis Martins, Gadi Kinda, & Alan Pulido. Peter Vermes deployed Khiry Shelton on the right wing, pushing Johnny Russell to the left. While Russell may have been hard to notice at times, it sounds like this was a tactical choice for the specific matchup with the Houston Dynamo. You may see Johnny on the right very soon. Graham Zusi looked horrendous on the goal, but is he really that bad? There were also some interesting tidbits from the training ground ahead of Media Day.

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Season Preview: Shades of Blue Soccer Show Feb 26, 2020

Show notes

I may not have been able to get my fellow podcasters excited, but Matchday 1 for Sporting Kansas City is almost here! The regular crew was joined by Daniel Sperry of MLSSoccer.com & The Last Word to preview the season in the last show before real life soccer is back.

The starting lineup, just as Peter Vermes would like, is not exactly known yet. Could Khiry Shelton really be starting on the right wing? Who is the odd man out in the midfield whenever Felipe Gutierrez returns? And who is the starting right back? Plus there are even more questions when it comes to the depth chart and squad rotation.

We love a good meaningless prediction, and this show is full of them! We set the Over/Under for goals scored this season, as well as goals conceded, at 50.5. There are some important questions -as well as wildly unimportant ones - that must be asked. This show does that for you.

We can't answer them, but hey we ask them.

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Post Preseason Pod: Shades of Blue Soccer Show Feb 24, 2020

Show notes

The 2020 preseason has wrapped for Sporting Kansas City and although they didn't light the world on fire, there were some positives to takeaway. Cody, Thad, and Robert got together to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly.

It is an important time to avoid overreacting to these 'scrimmages'. Especially if you are holding out hope for a Daniel Salloi recovery and Alan Pulido becoming the top striker in Major League Soccer. The two of them had some moments to make you wonder, but how much stock can you really put into preseason performance? Nobody looked particularly sharp but this is precisely the time to get those things worked out.

Roberto Puncec appears to have secured his spot as the starting CB over Botond Barath, and will pair with Matt Besler. Luis Martins also looked primed and ready for the season. Khiry "Kirby" Shelton started on the wing the entire preseason and played pretty well, but will he really be the starter over Gerso Fernandes and push Johnny Russell to the left flank?

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Kit Design 101: Shades of Blue Soccer Show Feb 21, 2020

Show notes

We're inching closer to the new season! The kits are released, the launch party was a success, and Sporting Kansas City is wrapping up the preseason. So we were joined by Chad Reynolds, Creative Director of Sporting Kansas City to get the inside scoop on the team.

The Swiss Dots of the new secondary kit have been received quite well by SKC fans and MLS fans alike. That is, of course, after an initial dislike of leaked images. It's so easy to look at a design and say, "Why didn't you do this? Or, "It should have some of that on it." But the years' long process of kit design is a very interesting and often times frustrating job.

Chad discusses the intricacies of the new kit as well as his favorite & least favorite ones since he joined the team all the way back in 2006.

Where is the napkin containing the original sketch of the "State Line"? When will you bring back the argyle? Why did you design a jersey that looks like it has been run over by a truck? Chad. From KC is anything but shy and we cover it all in this three-part episode.

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Very Kinda: Shades of Blue Soccer Show Jan 25, 2020

Show notes

Peter Vermes has added another piece to his midfield ahead of the 2020 season with the arrival of Gadi Kinda. In this episode Cody, Robert, and Thad cover all your questions about the 25-year-old out of Beitar Jerusalem.

As it often goes, there has been some confusion around the terms of the deal. Is Kinda here on loan or is it just a straight transfer? His agent and former coach have referred to the deal as a transfer, while Sporting Kansas City says it is a loan. We also talk about the money and whether he is a Designated Player or not. But how important are those labels anymore anyway?

Vermes sees Kinda as a box-to-box, #8 midfielder who possesses the strict defensive standards he requires from his players, while being dangerous going forward as well. So where will he play? Will he fight Roger Espinoza for playing time? Robert wonders what this means for the plethora of young talent with SKC and if it will be another year where the likes of Felipe Hernandez & Gianluca Busio aren't able to get enough first team minutes.

The move gives Vermes options on all lines now. They can be adaptable as is required by the league now. We look at different ways Kinda can be used and who he might play with.

The question that will always be asked.... is he worth the money? The league has changed and what it takes to get a younger player with potential costs a pretty penny.

SKCII have also added a key piece. Kaveh Rad featured heavily last year and now the 18-year-old academy kid got a professional contract. Thad explains that his path could set the example needed to keep prospects from going to play in the NCAA.

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The White Puma: Shades of Blue Soccer Show Jan 10, 2020

Show notes

A new year and a new season of the Shades of Blue Soccer Show! That's right, they have yet to kick us out of the studio. And we are starting this year off with a bang as club legend Jimmy Nielsen joins Cody, Robert, and Thad for a very long show.

The White Puma was rather candied as he spoke about his youth career all the way up to his coaching career. He and his family have come back to KC after a brief stint as the head coach of Hartford Athletic, where he was far from happy. He shared some wonderfully kind words about Kansas City that will warm the heart of any native. The Cauldron, of course, gave him fond memories that we all enjoyed revisiting.

For the league and club's 25th anniversary season, we will be having on several former players and staff all season long to take a look back through the years. We asked Nielsen his thoughts on the progression of Sporting Kansas City and Major League Soccer as a whole. He had some hilarious stories to tell about shenanigans of old teammates like Casey Keller, Kei Kamara, and even an Aurélien Collin hangover at training. We also hit him with rapid fire questions like his most hated MLS player, best friend, funniest teammate, and worst game he can remember. His coaching mind was also put to the test in naming his Sporting KC All-Decade team.

Hear him describe the fateful 2013 MLS Cup Final in which he played 120 minutes then won in PK's with a broken rib. "I was in pain. I couldn't get out of bed. I could not sit on the toilet. But I didn't want to miss that one," the puma explains. "I took injections and tried everything. I had a shot in my ass, I had shots directly into my ribs, everything!"

This man is an absolute legend. Yet somehow not an official Sporting Legend. What exactly are they waiting for?

Sit back, relax, and enjoy a deep dive into the good ol' days!

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Christmas Come Early: Shades of Blue Soccer Show Dec 12, 2019

Show notes

Wednesday was a historic day as Sporting Kansas City announced the long-awaited singing of a Designated Player striker. We talk about the money and what it means to the club, we talk about Alan Pulido as a player, and then after the break we discuss his expectations and what the new Starting XI looks like. Jimmy Mack joined the show for the first time along with Thad and Cody.

Whether the price was $9.5 million or closer to $6 million, Peter Vermes held to his word about jumping a couple tiers into MLS 3.0. He spoke of "plateau negotiating" in the media conference call on Thursday. Listen to a clip of what he describes as an interesting situation in spending more money.

Liga MX strikers have a fantastic track record of translating their success in Major League Soccer. Sporting KC appear to have finally found that proven scorer who will simply put away the chances he's given, something they've missed all the way back to the days of Dom Dwyer.

Can the 28-year-old Mexico international possibly live up to the expectations that come with a deal of this size? What exactly does a success look like in year one? Does it have more to do with his personal goal/assist tally, or the success of the team in 2020?

We also look at the current roster and how he will fit in next to Johnny Russell and Felipe Gutierrez, an exciting attacking trio. Might Vermes deploy Pulido alongside a second striker like Khiry "Kirby" Shelton?

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Injection of Capital: Shades of Blue Soccer Show Dec 04, 2019

Show notes

Plenty to talk about this week as Major League Soccer announced the 2020 conference alignment on Tuesday, the KC Comets are in action, and the potential for Peter Vermes to spend money at a new level.

David Beckham's Miami will enter the Eastern Conference and Nashville will play in the Western Conference which makes the two even at 13 teams a piece. However, this means the schedule is now unbalanced and each team will no longer play every other team in the league over the course of a season. What might this mean for the Supporters' Shield? How long will it remain like this? And where will Sporting Kansas City end up when they finally reach 30 teams?

The re-entry draft also continued this week with Juan Agudelo & Saad Abdul-Salaam being selected. Our thoughts & prayers go out to SAS in his new venture with Cincinnati FC.

We also spend some time in the Kansas City Comets and Thad will let you know what they have been up to.

Vermes recently had a press conference in which he spoke a lot about new capital and SKC jumping up a level or two with their spending. It has been met with a lot of cynicism from Sporting KC faithful who think they've heard this before. But this rhetoric is is absolutely different than we have seen in years past. Thatwillingness has been on display already as the team has been linked with Alan Pulido & Lucas Cavallini, two Liga MX strikers, who both have a transfer fee much higher than anything SKC has touched before. But can they actually land one of these players?

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Giving Thanks: Shades of Blue Soccer Show Nov 26, 2019

Show notes

The podcast crew was finally back at it again for another episode on Thanksgiving week. It has been a while so everyone was a bit rusty and things got weird, but we cover everything happening in the SKC-verse right now. The expansion draft is done and the roster moves have been announced. We share what we like and of course what we didn't like, for the team as well as for our hearts. Peter Vermes can now focus on filling in any holes he sees on the roster and we'll tell you what we would like to see.

You'll get a full rundown of all the players who are out but Jimmy Medranda is the one that hurts us the most. But we talk about how and why this happened so we can begin the stages of grieving. Seth Sinovic is another fan favorite that sparks a debate about Sporting Legends that brings in the departure of Benny Feilhaber as well.

We cover the Adrian Zendejas trade and the current keeper situation. Although Dick jokes are very difficult to avoid.

Is there anyone you are happy to see gone? The frustrating Krisztian Nemeth and his salary sure are a weight off SKC shoulders.

After the break we look at the remaining players currently on the roster and anyone we are surprised to see. Botond Barath survived the expansion draft and Andreu Fontas is back for another year, but should we be surprised?

With the Expansion Draft complete and roster moves announced, we can look ahead at what Sporting Kansas City needs on the roster for the 2020 campaign. The long-standing, all-to-obvious, mythical DP striker is the first topic of discussion. We take a long look at the rumors about Candadian international Lucas Cavallini. Daniel loves the idea of this and he will get you excited about this potential acquisition.

What other holes need filled on this roster? Bob wants to see some speed/athleticism on the back line. We talk about the midfield and try to decide if Daniel Salloi and Gerso Fernandes are enough on the left wing to be successful.

This was a long podcast but you can't have a show about Major League Soccer and not talk about the dumpster fire that is the Chicago Fire FC rebrand.

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Clockwork: Shades of Blue Soccer Show Sep 27, 2019

Show notes

You just knew it was going to happen right?

Sporting Kansas City was officially eliminated from playoff contention after letting Minnesota United come from behind to win 2-1 on Wednesday night. That match, and the loss to the Colorado Rapids, were both done in the same fashion. SKC fans saw an early lead and were bracing for a collapse that we all knew was coming.

Cody, Robert, and Thad were in the studio and actually in pretty good spirits. Missing the playoffs was a forgone conclusion for a while and now that it's official, the pressure is off. A weight has been lifted! But we looked back at the last two losses and talked about Daniel Salloi's struggles, the ratio of Gerso Fernandes' proximity to goal vs the likelihood he will score, and Gianluca Busio's performance. You'll also get a little bit of Ultimate Frisbee talk as a bonus.

After the break we took some time to touch on the situation with the South Stand Supporters Club and the SKC front office. The South Stand has been asked to move to the Cauldron, which does not make a whole lot of sense to us.

We end the show by talking about this weekend's match with the Portland Timbers. Peter Vermes' team doesn't have anything to play for, other than being a spoiler, so he can have some fun with the lineup now. Do you play the kids? Is there any point in putting Krisztian Nemeth on the field? Does Graham Smith get another chance this season?

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