FTCUTD CultureVerse Visits

In these Episodes, Skye and Sylvs visit the CultureVerse to chop it up with the FTCUTD , 2Cents FC fam and the guest(s) of the week!

Check the Episodes below!

Episode 142: Return of the Mack ft Donald Wine – Sylvs appears

We prep up for this week’s big World Cup Qualifiers with noted American Outlaws member Donald Wine. We preview the ice cold US Men’s matches with El Salvador on Thurs 1/7, across the border facing Canada this Sunday 1/30 and next week’s match against Honduras on Groundhog Day! We take a deep look at the roster and who we like to see featured, ongoing moves amongst the MNT and American MLS market, and give our predictions on this week’s games! Its possible the US can qualify for Qatar with the right results!

In the 2nd half of the show we peek into the African Cup of Nations, and recent upsets, give a preview of FTCUTD’s Black History Month (including a special guest we still cannot announce yet because its THAT big), and more in 2UP/2Down!

We dedicate this episode in memory of the lives lost outside of Olembe Stadium in Cameroon, the life of Ian Alexander Jr., and commemorate the two year anniversary of Kobe and Gianna Bryant and their friends who perished along with them.

Episode 141: Black and Red Stars ft Connor Moore – Skye appears

In Episode 141, Coach Tony, Greggo, and Skye link up Social Media Content Admin for the Chicago Red Stars, Connor Moore!

With Connor we discuss first week of the African Cup of Nations and the relative lack of access to watch the tournament (unless you have CERTAIN hook ups), the life of creating content online and creating a “voice” for a major pro sports team, all the while in the midst of controversy with the US Women’s soccer environment. We also go into the recent development with the Washington Spirit where Michelle Kang has purchased shares to become the majority owner of the team (but not without major LDE pushback from Steve Baldwin).

In the second half of the show, Coach Tony jumps back in and we discuss the first ever HBCD ID Prospect Camp, of which FTC was privileged to be a part of covering along with 2Cents FC. We give our feedback on the experience and what could become from this discovery platform and in 2UP/2Down we commiserate over a certain school’s first national championship in 42 years, the NFL Playoffs, online harassment, the drama of Telenovela- I mean Man United, and MORE!!

Follow the Chicago Red Stars on all major social media platforms (even LinkedIn) @chicagoredstars!!

Out in the Streets ft Mariah Lee – Sylvs appears

Welcome to the first FTC Episode of 2022!!

With many leagues easing back into league play, and many of us recovering from Covid, we thought we’d ease into the New Year as well by interviewing one of our own members of the 2Cents Cultureverse, FC Nordsjælland forward, and the writer of the 2Cents Blog, “Soccer, She Write”, Mariah Lee!

In this episode we discuss Mariah’s experiences from the past year, going from playing with Celtic FC and making the move to FCN, navigating culinary and cosmetology needs in Europe, her connections to The South, family traditions over the holidays, and in 2Up/2Down, we talk about snow days, the Holiday Covid bug, and pay tribute to John Madden and Sir Sidney Poitier AND MORE!

Be sure to check out our 2Cents Fam and all of our content at http://www.2CentsFC.com where can you read Mariah’s bi-weekly “Soccer, She Wrote” blog,

Winter Chill Finale feat. Dave Williamson – Sylvs appears

Happy Holidays- Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hannukah from FTCUTD and the 2Cents Cultureverse!!

We wrap up our 2021 with Omarion chasing The Culture thru the holidays and with Coach, Greggo, and Sylvs, we are joined this week by noted Atlanta sports photographer Dave Williamson!!

With the soccer and sports world getting hit hard the past week by new cases of the Omicron Covid variant, we spend the first half of the show discuss the impact of the new surge that’s hit professional sports in a way previous variants haven’t, we discuss how much the leagues can afford to hold off holding games going into Christmas weekend where big showcases games are typically featured on Christmas and Boxing Day, as well as getting Dave’s perspective on the various stadium experiences and how they’ve handled Covid protocols for field photographers.

We move on to the US Men’s team, who had their final match of the year, a Camp Egg Nog friendly against Bosnia & Herzegovina, clinching a new record for most wins in a calendar year, we give our 2021 grades for the MNT, given the triumphs and progress made with the team and cover the still ongoing coverage from Shea Butter recapping the NWSL Expansion Draft and College Drafts held last week and more questions for Dave.

In lieu of the holidays, we replace our normal 2UP/2Down and give our Christmas Wishes for the game and The Culture and close out an incredible 2021!

Episode 137: Trading Places – Skye and Sylvs appear

In Episode 137, Greggo and The Shea Butter FC reach back and finally pull TK into The Cultureverse, and catch up with him as we head into MLS Cup weekend! We kick off taking full glee in UGA football being UGA against Alabama in the SEC Championship this past weekend. We then start up the soccer talk discussing the dismissal of American coach Jesse Marsch at German club RB Leipzig following three straight defeats and debate over if he should stick out in Europe and find a new gig, or head back to MLS for one of the vacant head coaching jobs. Meanwhile, his former boss Ralf Ragno- ahem, Rangnick, has hired on Marsch’s former colleague (and former NYRB and Toronto FC manager) Chris Armas at Man United. Could we actually see Armas be the successor at United next year??

In the second half, we talk about the recent run of big trades in the NWSL, recap the Conference Finals, and give our picks for MLS Cup 2021 between hosts Portland Timbers and New York City FC, and in 2UP/2Down we catch up with TK, rip on US Soccer’s erasure of Black women players, the MLB Lockout AND MORE!!

Thanksgiving Roast w/ Kaiya McCollough – Skye appears

On this Thanksgiving Episode of FTCUTD, Greggo and Skye are joined by Cultureverse member Kaiya McCollough, having linked up over the weekend in Louvegas, we recap our trip covering the NWSL Championship between Chicago Red Stars and the Washington Spirit, which saw Washington grab their first NWSL title off the maestro performance from Trinity Rodman. We go thru our experiences in the city, meeting colleagues we’ve come in contact with on social media, and the vibes felt thru the weekend.

But good things don’t last long, as news broke late Sunday night that Chicago Head Coach Rory Dames resigned, shortly before a major story broke that Dames was the subject of multiple complaints by several players, including USWNT star (and former CRS player) Christen Press, in which also involve dismissed complaints that went up to the US Soccer Federation office. We discuss that and how the relationship between the NWSL and US Soccer hierarchy (namely former WNT head coach Jill Ellis) fostered an environment that retaliated against those who supported pro-Black agendas. As the league goes into an offseason of uncertainty, we give our exasperated thoughts on what comes next for the league (also be sure to catch a special Shea Butter FC/Diaspora United 2-part pod that goes into this in much deeper detail).

In the 2nd half of the show, Kaiya subs out for Gameday Ty, where we go into the first round of the MLS Playoffs, which saw the Home Team go out in a whimper to NYCFC and our frustration with teams playing in Yankee Stadium, and perennial power Seattle go out in a shock shootout loss to Real Salt Lake, and we give our picks on the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Wrapping up the topics we go into the inevitable dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solksjaer at Manchester United following another embarrassing loss, and the potential of Mauricio Pochettino dipping out on PSG to take the United job.

In 2UP/2Down we go into car purchases, Thanksgiving greens, and MORE!!

Episode 133 – Decision Day Made – Skye appears

In Episode 133, The Cultureverse shines upon Greggo, Skye, and Mean Marc as they hop off The Braves’ parade bus to discuss the wrap up of MLS’s Decision Day, with the Home Team Atlanta United making it into the playoffs with a come from behind win against FC Cincinnati capped by a wondergoal by The King, Josef Martinez. We take a look at the first round matchups in both the East and West and give our early predictions on each match. We also get into the first round of the NWSL Playoffs played this past weekend, where Chicago beat Gotham, and also ended the career of a storied WNT player who shall not be named.

After the break, we give our thoughts on the Astroworld tragedy in Houston over the weekend, and in 2UP/2Down, we once again lay into Aaron Rodgers, Detroit City jumping into USL, Chelsea Women, Holiday pies AND MORE!!!

Introducing the Cultureverse – Sylvs appears

We return after two weeks away to make big announcements regarding the future of the Podcast and FTCUTD Brand, and joining us is a super-crew of guest co-hosts:

El Johnson & Ty Phillips of 2CentsFC, Sylvs of Shea Butter FC, and the newest member of the FTC crew, Mean Marc Nicholls!

Given our primary ATL base, the big news kicks off with the Home Team Braves winning the World Series against the Houston Astros earlier in the week and Skye of Shea Butter jumps in to celebrate the win and gives instructions on how we need to celebrate here in the A! Kicking off the soccer talk, we catch up on recent firings in the game such as Nuno Espírito Santo getting sacked by Spurs, and the arrival of Antonio Conte and if Conte can spread his usual magic on a club not known to win trophies in recent memory (one trophy in over 20 years). Also meeting his end was Ronald Koeman at Barcelona, and we debate over whether club legend Xavi can turn things around given the dramatic financial issues at the club. While were away, Newcastle United was finally sold away to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and if their significant funds can make Newcastle an attractive location and club for the top players and managers in England and the rest of the world. And throughout all these happenings, despite a hammering against Liverpool and mixed results in the Champions League Ole Gunnar Solkjaer has retained his job at Man United.

In the second half of the show, we chat with El and Ty about their recent trip to Detroit to cover an event launch by The Black Star Initiative and Detroit City FC, and the experience felt from the whole weekend. We wrap up with MLS talk going into Decision Day as several spots are still up for grabs in both the East and West conferences.

Before we go into 2UP/2Down, we pay tribute to WSB Atlanta anchor Jovita Moore, who recently passed away from brain cancer.

In 2Up/2Down, we reflect on Nuno’s term at Spurs, Aaron Rodgers catching Covid, the still on-going saga of the Washington Spirit, and MORE!!