Happy Saturday all, it’s matchday once again, Andrew here with a quick roundup of the week’s FMFC news. We here at NDZ have been busy all week making blood sacrifices, lighting candles, burning incense, and generally doing all things possible to appease the cruel football powers that be to bless this Madison team with cohesion or as Jeremiah Streng would say, yhteenkuuluvuus. Rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it?
In my estimation, we’re due for some good luck / karma / whatever alchemical substance it is Arjen Robben rubs on his scalp that used to blind defenders before he’d drop his shoulder and cut inside the box to plow one past opposing keepers. It’s annoying watching that team in the most flyover of flyover states continue to roll in the Open Cup, and while it’s none of my business how people support their club, it’s doubly annoying to see FMFC fans joining the Twitter circle jerk big-upping them for doing so. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but where I’m from you don’t congratulate other teams whose fans by and large take every chance they get to take the piss out of our own. Most of these people would just as soon drink our tears from a dirty, sweaty shoe. So for those reasons, I say good day and the Open Cup is dead to me until we’re back in it in 2023.
News Roundup
Cyrus Makes Team of the Week
The league announced Monday that Cyrus Rad made their Team of the Week for his performance against Charlotte this past Saturday, due to his 91% passing rate and the assist he provided for Bartman’s goal. Cyrus has definitely improved from last season, and while he still is a bit of a raw talent and has issues to work through on his defensive marking and touch, he’s proven to be able to switch play and drop crosses with pinpoint accuracy. There are very few defenders who can both attack and defend at a high level, and at just 22 years of age, he has plenty of time to improve technically.
Riding Bikes for Pride
Grant and I signed up for the Madison Trek Bikes Pride Ride before the Tucson game on June 4, and we’d love to see you out there getting a few miles in with us, and maybe a pint or two after. Trek is the club’s new training kit partner for the 2022 season, and for their part in this ride, Trek shops across the country will be partnering with local LGBTQIA+ organizations to raise money and awareness. Some Trek stores will also be selling a limited-edition Pride Ride jersey with proceeds going to the Trevor Project, a national, 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention service for LGBTQ youth.
Sign up here, and feel free to list “NDZ” as your event/group.
Matheus Cassini Interview
If you missed our interview with FMFC midfield magician, soon-to-be dad, and all-around good guy Matheus Cassini, take ~20 mins to read (or ~1 hour to listen if you’re a Patreon backer), you won’t be sorry. Matheus talks about football being a natural path for him, looking forward to the birth of his daughter, the meaning behind his angel and devil tattoos, and plenty more.
“if they’re good people, you can get the angel side, but if they’re not people of good character, if they’re ‘bad’ people, then they’re going to get the devil side.”
– Matheus Cassini
Fresno Preview
Good morning, Kyle here with a short preview of tonight’s matchup. Fuego has continued grabbing points since their last matchup with Madison, two straight draws against Greenville and Chattanooga before a shocking 4-0 win against South Georgia Tormenta. This will be Fuego’s second home game of the season, so how Madison handles an expected engaged crowd will be curious.
Honestly though, as much as it’s good we have a team that we can watch week in and out, I’m frustrated and intensely sad at the appalling domestic terrorist attacks in our country over the past few weeks. It hurts that people can be killed at a grocery store just for being Black. It hurts that people can be killed at a place of worship simply for being Asian. It hurts that children and teachers can be killed at school. I don’t want to see more tweets from people that could make the necessary common-sense changes by way of gun control legislation, I don’t want to hear that mental health was a contributing factor from politicians and officials and have them do nothing to provide those crucial resources, and I don’t want the pro-life brigade to suddenly be silent about all of this.
I hope everyone can takes care of themselves as they see fit. But I also get if things are all doom and gloom. Hopefully for a few hours, being with fellow Madison fans can be a light for you all – but if you have no faith in this country, I wouldn’t blame you.
