You're Smarter Than Us

Before Friday night's kickoff to the 2021 USL L2 season, Tim gets the chance to sit down with Coach Mick Giordano to discuss what the most significant changes are in the move to L2, what he thinks of each of the other clubs in the Deep South Division, and how recruitment was impacted by the pandemic.

Taking the podcast to the moon, Tim welcomes Colton Coreschi and Jim Hicks on to discuss whether they would buy, sell, or short the stocks of the professional soccer leagues in the US. After some surprising choices, a lightning round of questions are answered. This episode gleefully contains adult language.

Exploring the potential of a lower league in the women’s game, Tim speaks with @toeswiggle to discuss the recent news from USL, UWS/NISA, and how a successful club in one of these leagues would need to operate. Give Danielle a follow and read her work on Protagonist Soccer. 

In a unique episode, Tim chats with Nathan Phillips about the general civic health of Asheville and cover topics such as the Memorial Stadium Bond Project and the Tourism and Development Authority, if Asheville a sports town, and does the city government practice what it preaches?

As the rest of the country is giving thanks, Tim and @chattagooner engage in an annual "airing of grivences," because they have a lot of problems with you people and now you're going to hear about them. Touching on fans at games during a pandemic, territory rights in the lower leagues, and viewing women's soccer through the lens of the men's game, the pair let loose their grievences so they may bound into the new year lighter and with a clearer heart and head.

For this episode, Tim had the chance to have a conversation with the new commissioner of the First Flight League, Zac Hines, and member of the league, Yocuba Aide, owner-coach of the Goldsboro Strike Eagles. Zac lays out the ambitious plans for the league and Yocuba details what makes Goldsboro and other First Flight clubs unique in comparison to other amateur men’s clubs across the state.

Covering a year in their fandom, Tim speaks with Jim Hicks (@chattagooner) and Ben Goshorn (@thesoccergoose) about their three concurrent experiences as supporters of three unique clubs in the same soccer ecosystem. Only in this country could Chattanooga FC's first year as a pro cub, the trials off-of and success on-the-pitch of the Charlotte Independence, and the complete cancellation of Asheville City's season all happen. Settle in, it's a long and extremely thoughtful conversation where all three fans try to work through their emotions and expectations.

In this episode Tim sits down with the brillant Darbi Lockridge (@sonchyenne) of the Switch The Pitch outlet to discuss her opinion on NWSL expansion, how a women's minor league would help advance the game, and what the Fare Report on diversity and inclusion in the game at all levels meant to her and what needs to be done to address the findings.

Picking right up where they left off, Tim welcomes Warren Wilson Coach Mathes Mennell to discuss a litany of topics ranging from bubble tournaments, the upward mobility of second divison coaches, the true talent level of MLS players, and how COVID will impact summer league soccer.

For this edpisode, we reconnect with @chattagooner, Jim Hicks, to catch up on NISA and their successes and challenges as an independent league. Jim peaks on how feels Chattanooga FC's first year as a professional club has gone, what Detroit City selling fan shares means, and how NISA is faring in terms of expansion.

In this episode Tim speaks with Asheville City legend and professional womens footballer Jennider Cudjoe about her ascension from an open tryout with Sky Blue FC to regular starter in the NWSL Challenge Cup. Together they discuss what life is like inside a sporting bubble, the speed of the professional game, and why Jennifer was so successful so quickly.

For the second Rewind, Tim has the chance to chat with a wide variety of stakeholders and personalities connected to ACSC. He speaks with captain Molly Dwyer, color comentary Josh Blake, PA announcer Bobby Somerville, and owers Meghann Burke, Stacey Enos, and Lydia Vandenberg.

In the audio version of an ambitious project, Tim talks to seven different lower league stakeholders about the third Carolina Clasico of the 2019 NPSL Season - ACSC v GVLFC in the NPSL SE Semifinals.

In a somber episode with some audio issues, Tim speaks with club president Ryan Kelley on the decision to cancel all three Asheville City SC seasons, how sponsor hardships played into that decision, what happens with contracts, and what you can expect from the club during this extended hiatus.

In a free-wheeling conversation, Tim discusses the progress of the women's game with @meghannburke, Asheville City SC owner and general counsel for the @nwsl_players. Together they touch on the growth of the league and the importance of the Players Association becoming officially recognized in an effort to affect change. They also discuss barriers to a professional second division, the Equal Pay debate, and the current USWNT lawsuit against the Federation.

With new competitions on the horizon, Tim speaks with Chris Madden of USL HQ about the misconseptions of being a franchise, what Asheville City's men can expect in the Deep South divison of League 2, what comes along with the support of a centralized league office, how the league attempts to streamline scouting, and the advent of the USL Academy competition.

MLS is coming to Charlotte and fans have thoughts... Tim chats with Ben - The Soccer Goose, Charlotte resident and Independence supporter, about the long history of MLS4CLT, the boots-on-the-ground response to MLS' announcement, the positioning of the Independence as a "minor league" option in town, and if he believes MLS will be successful.

In by far the longest pod we have recorded, Tim sits down with Mathes Mennell, former UNCA men's coach, and discusses a wide range of topics including promotion-relegation in America, how the MLS is like land speculation, which needs to change first for the USMNT to improve - players or coaching, how the pay-to-play system has created participation trophies, and if MLS will succeed in Charlotte.

After the episode earlier this week that said goodbye to NPSL, Tim chats on this pod with @CardinalRAL member Zac Hines and Tobacco Road fan @_Zackkkk about the South Atlantic and Deep South Divisons in USL L2, one of which Asheville City's men will end up in. Connections to academies, in-state rivaliries, talent pools, and gameday atmospheres are all discussed.

In this episode, Tim speaks again with Jim of the 423 Soccer Pod about CFC's season and transition into a new league, then they say goodbye to the NPSL and wrestle with expectations for NISA. Jim can be found at @chattagooner on Twitter and the 423 Soccer Pod on all major podcast platforms.

In the podcast's first ever emergency episode, Tim talks his way through his own emotions and the facts of the announced move for the men to USL League 2. He explains the landscape of the lower leagues when the club was formed and what the series of events was that landed us at this decision. Then without bias, he tries to lay out the facts - pros and cons - of the decision and its impact on the other aspects of the club.

In this two part episode, Tim chats with Dan and Keith of the @forwardsbackwa2 podcast about Forward Madison's first season, the history of soccer in the state, and their 2019 Irruption Tour. Then he goes solo to discuss local high school and college teams, as well as give some updates on ACSC specific items. To round out the episode, he touches base with the lower leagues across the country.

Post-season crosover episode with @chattagooner of the @423soccerpod discussing the end of the NPSL season, cups and leagues, where NPSL and NISA both stand, and what future league options there are for both CFC and Asheville City.

Both seasons are recapped in this solo episode which breaks down the playoff games, pluses, deltas, and names players of the season. At the end Tim details a bit about what the offseason will look like for the club and the podcast.

As both the women and the men begin their run through the playoffs, Tim chats with Ben about a variety of the ins-and-out of the both seasons, successes and challenges, and why pre-season predictions are a fool's game. The conversation then shifts to NISA and how their slow rollout and lack of information has them already stumbling out of the starting block. Thank you to our sponsor - Tasty Beverage Company is a beer store and bar on Asheville's South Slope. In addition to featuring a world class selection of local, regional and imported craft beer, Tasty also carries a selection other specialty beverages, like natural wine, cider and craft sodas. This year, Tasty will be showing Asheville City away games all season long, so go visit them at 162 Coxe Avenue across from Swannanoa Cleaners and make sure to tell them we sent you.

In possibly our favorite episode we've ever done, Tim is fortunate enough to speak with Galen, Becca, and Dan of Prideraiser (and all Chattahooligans) about the amazing late night origin story of the campaign and the evolution from Wordpress to a unique fundraising platform. For the first time since its inception, the nuts and bolts of Prideraiser are explored in detailed and why it is soccer culture that is able to put aside sporting competition and rally around civic causes in this way. If you are interested in making a contribution to your local Prideraiser campaign, please visit prideraiser.org or reach out at @prideraiser.

To kick-off the second half of the men's season, Tim and Coach Mic discuss the results up to this point, surprise players across the Southeast, and why the game against Greenville this weekend might be the most important game in Asheville's history. Then at the end of the conversation, there is a bit of talk on potentially playoff opponent scouting and US Open Cup hypoteticals. Thank you to our sponsor - Tasty Beverage Company is a beer store and bar on Asheville's South Slope. In addition to featuring a world class selection of local, regional and imported craft beer, Tasty also carries a selection other specialty beverages, like natural wine, cider and craft sodas. This year, Tasty will be showing Asheville City away games all season long, so go visit them at 162 Coxe Avenue across from Swannanoa Cleaners and make sure to tell them we sent you.

In a fantastic crossover podcast with our Amateur Hour brethren, Tim, Chris, and Ben sat down with Stacey Enos and Jennifer Cudjoe of Asheville City to chat about the momentum of women's soccer in America and how our local club is helping to close the circle that started in the 80's as we approach the Women's World Cup this summer. Thank you to our sponsor - Tasty Beverage Company is a beer store and bar on Asheville's South Slope. In addition to featuring a world class selection of local, regional and imported craft beer, Tasty also carries a selection other specialty beverages, like natural wine, cider and craft sodas. This year, Tasty will be showing Asheville City away games all season long, so go visit them at 162 Coxe Avenue across from Swannanoa Cleaners and make sure to tell them we sent you.

After a thrilling and rain-soaked Carolina Clasico in Greenville, Tim chats with @thesoccergoose about the uncertain lead up to the game, the fantastic tailgate a welcoming MTO put together, SIrrine Stadium, and the game itself. They also cover the newly introduced Keg of the Covenant and why both Asheville and Greenville need the other to succeed. Thank you to our sponsor - Tasty Beverage Company is a beer store and bar on Asheville's South Slope. In addition to featuring a world class selection of local, regional and imported craft beer, Tasty also carries a selection other specialty beverages, like natural wine, cider and craft sodas. This year, Tasty will be showing Asheville City away games all season long, so go visit them at 162 Coxe Avenue across from Swannanoa Cleaners and make sure to tell them we sent you.

For the second pod in a row, has the opportunity to sit down with Coach Mic of the men's side and discuss returning and new faces. He also explains how he recruited in the offseason, the challenges of coaching to a philosophy in only three months, and why some players start the season but do not end it with the club. THe first half of the season's schedule is then examined and explored. You're Smarter Than Us s extremely excited to introduce our first sponsor: Tasty Beverage Company, a beer store and bar on Asheville's South Slope. In addition to featuring a world class selection of local, regional and imported craft beer, Tasty also carries a selection other specialty beverages, like natural wine, cider and craft sodas. This year, Tasty will be showing Asheville City away games all season long, so go visit them at 162 Coxe Avenue across from Swannanoa Cleaners and make sure to tell them we sent you.

In their first sit down interview, Tim chats with Coach Mick Giordano of the Asheville City men's club about his playing career and what lead him to Asheville. They touch on how the professional v. amateur debate is viewed in Germany, Mick's first year in the NPSL, what letter grade he would give himself, and what changes he will make this upcoming season.

In a re-edited episode, Tim chats with The Soccer Goose, Ben Goshorn, about the nuances of the professional vs. amateur language in describing the lower leagues, the changing landscape in Greenville, and his opinion on new clubs in the region.

Riley Maleitzke, the voice of the Georgia Revolution, joins the pod to preview the NPSL Southeast season. Tim and Riley discuss players who have moved on from the league, clubs that are in flux, clubs that stayed consistent, and how Atlanta has handled the explosion of the interest in their different tiers. Tim also explains why he believes that the Asheville City women consistently draw the same amount of fans to their games as the men. Like and subscribed on your preferred podcast platform.

In our first solo-pod, Tim recaps the off-season for the women very briefly (for lack of information) and touches base with the remaining six clubs in the NPSL Southeast. Coaching changes, field shuffling, re-branding, and the introduction of fan shares are all explored. He then reviews the major news in the men's off-season including sponsorship, the AC Academy, and a Memorial renovation updates (or lack thereof). The episode is wrapped up with a quick conversation with Coach Mick.

In the year's first episode of the You're Smarter Than Us podcast, Tim chats with Steve Bayley of Non-League America about his experiences at the NPSL Annual Owners' Meeting, his Atlanta Silverbacks fandom, if Atlanta is a soccer town, and the series of documentaries NLA has been putting together.

In a wide ranging conversation, Tim gets the chance to chat with John Frusciante of the First Team Podcast, which focuses on the historic New York Cosmos. They chat a bit about the Cosmos, their history and their future, NPSLpro, and end talking about John's amateur club in New Jersey - the Monmouth Generals.

In an adult-only episode, Tim welcomes on Dion Degennaro of the Northern Guard Supporters, supporter group of Detroit City FC. The two of them explore the history of DCFC, their mutually beneficial ties to the community, his opinions on MLS/USL, and how DCFC is growing the sport in their own ways. This episode is not for the faint of heart or residents of Ohio.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Tim welcomes on Nathen McVittie of Common Goal to compare the the game in England/US, his time with the NY Cosmos and Leicester City the season they won the Premier League, the importance of owning your own intellectual property, and how a rising tide will lift all boats in the American lower leagues.

In this episode, Tim got the opportunity to sit down with Asheville City's Meghann Burke, owner-former professional player-and-NWSL Players' Association legal counsel, to talk about her start in St. Louis, the oft forgotten Asheville Splash, her time abroad, her work for the NWSL players' association, and how the ACSC women exceeded all expectations in their first year. This maybe the best interview we have had yet and we hope you enjoy.

The UNC-A women's soccer season starts tonight and to celebrate, Tim sat down with Bryson Lee and Bella Iorio to discuss the upcoming season, how they ended up in Asheville, the transition to playing under Coach Vera, and why Bryson is looking forwards to playing fellow ACSC Blue Megan McCallister this pre-season.

In the biggest Soccer & Sweet Tea cross over pod yet, Tim and Chris from "Yeah THAT Soccer Show" speak at great length about the soccerpocolypse that is brewing in Chattanooga as a new USL D3 franchise is coming to town alongside the historic and established Chattanooga FC. With a similar situation occurring in Greenville, Chris explains why he thinks the situation could work there. And Tim gives his opinion on why he thinks Asheville will eventually grow too big for its fishbowl, but it will have to happen organically.

New UNC-A women's coach Lindsay Vera sat down with Tim to talk about her background in soccer and coaching, the difficulties of creating a culture for a new program, why Asheville is an organic fit for her first head coaching position, and what we should be looking forwards to in the new season.

In this episode, Tim sits down with UNC-Asheville men's soccer coach Mathes Mennell and discusses the upcoming season for the Bulldogs, his background in the sport, how he ended up in Asheville, what it means to play Bulldog soccer, and the difference between American college ball and the academy system in Europe.

To wrap up the 2018 season for the Asheville City Soccer Club men and women, Tim sits down with club president Ryan Kelley to talk final grades, what's next for both squads, potential collaborations, off-season happenings, and club branding.

In this episode of the pod, Tim and Pat wrap up the club season, talk off season and branding, review awful World Cup predictions, and chat transfer market.

Tim and Chris discuss a crazy Saturday night in NPSL action that landed the men in the playoffs and look forward to Tuesday night's round one game in Nashville.

An injury might be keeping him off the field, but back on the podcast is Cameron Saul to help Tim and Chris figure out what went wrong in Greenville, talk women's playoffs, and breakdown the World Cup with predictions.

In this episode, Tim and Chris have sit down interview with Mr. Asheville, Cameron Saul, who discusses training in England, how he ended up in Iowa, being recruited to Asheville, and why playing for the Blues is the highlight of his career.

Recorded directly after the 0-1 men's loss to Greenville FC, Tim and Pat welcome Soccer & Sweet Tea's Amateur Hour podcast hosts, Chris and Ben, to speak on the game, their experience at the first leg of the Carolina Clasico, and more.

In Episode #5 of You're Smarter Than Us, Tim welcomes Chris to discuss the structure of the NPSL, the career path of men vs. women in soccer, and why Asheville might have an advantage in recruiting in the future.

In Episode #4, if you can ignore the docile tones of an open brewery, listen in while Tim and Pat speak with Asheville City Soccer Club management, South Slope Blues members, and Jamie Smith of the men's squad.