The news that USL League One's second all-time leading scorer has joined Forward Madison broke just before we hit the record button, so Rob and Alex give their first reactions to that massive news. Then, we talk through last week's two matches, and we chat with Tim Howerton of Ranting Blue Penguin Media as the leage reaches the halfway point of the season.

Listen here or your favorite podcast app:
https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/7eb92f6b6d797f50f9bf173218ad8f70

Hey mingo gang! I’m just looking for a place to watch the game tomorrow with some other fans. Does anyone know of a good spot that might have a get together?

Listen here or your favorite podcast app:

https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/01b177ff96be2bd81dab296d9c3df661

Huge win, great atmosphere to those in the Flock who cheered. Go mingo's!

Next week a first time ever match is happening at Hart Park in Wauwatosa, WI with a trophy on the line. FC Milwaukee Torrent of the National Premier Soccer League are hosting multi-time national champion Bavarian United SC in the USASA Region II Amateur Cup Final.

To break this down, the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) is broken into four regions and organizes the century hold National Amateur Cup tournament. Each region holds its own amateur cup tournament and the four champions play a single location finals tournament over the course of one weekend to determine a national champion. Region II is the Midwest. The national champion wins a historic trophy, $50,000, and earns a place in the following year's U.S. Open Cup.

That means the winner of this game is two wins away from possibly playing Forward Madison in the First Round of the 2025 USOC.

The bad news is this match falls on Tuesday, June 25, the same day and time that Forward Madison welcomes C.D. Tapatío to Breese Stevens Field for an international friendly. I'm not gonna pretend that any normal FMFC fan would turn down the chance to see the Mingos play in that game. But if you can't go to Madison but can go to Wauwatosa, somehow, by all means. Or if you are so inclined you could buy a ticket to the regional final just to show your support for two awesome Wisconsin programs.

Link to buy tickets: https://app.gopassage.com/events/torrent-bavarians

Twitter graphic of the match: https://x.com/MKETORRENT/status/1803072692901265532

The Mingos got their SIXTH straight win over the weekend on a goal for the ages from Juan Galindrez. Today on the show, we break down the roster, the gameplan and Chattanooga's response, and we consider the place of that wonder strike in the pantheon of great Flamingo Finishes. Then, USL League One On the Rocks host Rich Flemings joins from Statesboro to help preview our next two matches. Finally Rob visits the studio of TL Luke, the artist who designed this year's Pride jersey. It gets a bit political, and not just about LGBT stuff. Click here or find Talkin' Flock on your favorite podcast app:

https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/05a681426772adb8f8c159a86d8f1753

It might be recency bias, but that goal from Juan Galindrez last night really is one of the best finishes in Forward Madison history. Got me to thinking ... where does it rank? Is it theee best? Went back through my memory and YouTube and found some other contenders.

We're just looking at the finish. There have been great team goals, great individual efforts, really important goals, that didn't require a banger of a finish. So, that said, is any of these better than Juan's?

In chronological order:

Josiel Nunez vs Orlando City B, April 19, 2019 (our first ever goal was also kind of a banger)
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x765ypd

Jiro vs. New England Revolution II, October 24, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyCXXYBE3xA

Josiah Trimmingham vs. Union Omaha, October 20, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NTBSSZhu-4

Christian Enriiquez vs. FC Tucson, April 16, 2022
https://youtu.be/Wkb_O8CqTew?si=HBAEHvwBSeqzkg8R

Jeremiah Streng vs. Central Valley Fuego, May 28, 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU1a1v3-Tg0

Andrew Wheeler Omiunu vs. Northern Colorado, July 5, 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSxDA300ijE

Chelo Martinez vs. NCFC, May 13, 2023
https://youtu.be/ZdkOpO0_BYE?si=RmbA4TXJ05v0uLhO

Pierre da Silva vs. Central Valley Fuego, August 26, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npa6c4pwhfQ

Am I missing any? Feel free to nominate any other golazos that I might have forgotten.

And ... what do we think? Did Galindrez just give us the best Mingo goal we've ever seen?

It's a good time to be a Mingo! This week, Alex and Rob break down all four (!!) of Forward Madison's goals in the historic win over Lexington, along with a pretty steallar midfield performance. Then Rob sits down with Aiden Mesias to talk through his last two tallies, London food recommendations and lots more. 

Listen here or your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/934352904466ba2971a91bfaebe85a6e

Coach Alex is busy with the end of the youth season, so this week, YOU are my cohost! Let me know what's on your mind about the win over Knoxville, the season so far, or anything else! Here's how:

• Send an email or voice memo to talkinflock@gmail.com
• Call 608-492-0365 to leave a voice message
• Comment here

Your deadline is 8 pm Wednesday!

NEW TALKIN FLOCK! You want goals? We've got goals. This week, Rob and Alex break down that dominant win over Spokane, including some analysis of the defensive game plan, the buildup and finishes on the three goals, and the excellent performances from Bernd Schipmann and Christian Chaney especially. Then, assistant coach John Pascarella joins to talk team cohesion, tactical periodization, chaos theory, USL/MLS tension and lots more. Plus, he answers the question on everyone's mind: is Chaney left-footed?
Listen here or on your favorite podcast app:

https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/3bb7b5a924733f84cfa468ea6b4ab548

This week, Rob & Alex go over that impressive Jagermeister Cup win, break down those two amazing goals and Chaney's impressive day, and nitpick over substitution decistions. Then, Benji wade from the ⁠Spokane Soccer Show⁠ joins us to talk through the thrills of a first season, learning a new league and what to expect in our first-ever clash with the Velocity this Sunday.

Listen here or your favorite podcast app:

https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/6fae1e726c60659f6663833d9c4fe2c5

I ordered 2 general admission tickets. They have two completely different seat numbers. Do these matter?

The boys bounced back big from that Jagermeister Cup loss in Lexington to take a 3-2 comeback win at home on Saturday. This week, Rob and Alex talk through both of those matches, touch on tree-themed soccer teams, and emphasize the importance of condiments. Plus, we welcome Michale Umberger from the Mecklenburg Reserves, the supporter group of next Saturday's opponent to talk about what happens in a USL town when the MLS shows up, the history of the club, and what it's like to win a playoff game.

Listen here or on your favorite podcast app:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6JeC9TllZOdjrnEYk7PfHv?si=chSLrLRmQZCJEWUZMekmTQ

The team was pretty disappointed with the 2-2 draw in the Henny Derby home opener. Is that disappointment justified? This week, Rob and Alex talk through that match, which featured four pretty great goals. Plus, some news on a new partnership between the club and the city to get more soccer-specific spaces around town, and Wolfgang Prentice joins the show to talk about his journey from So Cal to Oakland to Madison.

Listen here or on your favorite podcast app:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4edz7mcS3hGK1iLbZUzZ8I?si=tWEqTdvSRsCTnD2NT_64TA

Check out comments from Neil Hlavaty, Mitch Osmond and Derek Gebhard after the 2-2 Henny Derby draw, here or wherever you get podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2V68DqVlgX1wwvxFdjMHKM?si=raI45BlISnOKd3VdrFJ7Sw

On this week's Talkin' Flock, Rob and Alex talk through that rather ugly 2-0 loss to Chicago Fire 2 and look ahead to the Henny Derby. Then, a familiar voice joins the show: USL League One commentator Ross Devenport chats with Rob about being unexpectedly thrust into soccer analysis nearly 15 years ago, the early league season, and just how the commentators tell who's who on the pitch. And in Stoppage Time, some non-soccer, non-Badger options for Madison sports fans.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3z5MfPuQOJdNSCpLLOwozv?si=RUTsy9XzRjyLaIVTSXuY3A

Sorry if this not allowed… but I remember there was a bar in the basement where you could watch matches.

I am wondering where do you all meet up and watch them now? One place or other places?

Derek Gebhard scored the greatest goal we've never seen, and joins the show from Chicago to tell us all about it. Plus, Rob & Alex break down the two goals we did see, preview Wednesday night's US Open Cup match and, in Stoppage Time, preview a pretty cool tournament you should be aware of.

Listen here or on your favotire podcast app:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7IUZg2eNXVyD7G4LRTlphq?si=WHxC8D7CT9yE6tv20eBMmg

​

https://preview.redd.it/h44ryentkzqc1.jpg?width=673&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85372f9e0392fae6a63821d9a66190da9707fc7d

Looks like Eric Leonard playing with Chicago House AC. Loved him with the Mingos.