But what about second home playoff game?

Vamos!!!!

THE FIRST EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE

While you anxiously pace and chew your nails until kickoff, listen to me amd Kyle Carr break down the whole playoff picture here!

From the Forward Club: the coach, the keeper, and Crull! Plus: how you can get tickets to our FIRST EVER HOME PLAYOFF GAME for just $20! Listen now: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/jeJTrVy5PNb

It wasn't a real pretty game, but the Mingos came away with three points. This week, we talk through that match, along with bad news out of Fresno and Windsor and some good news from Texoma. Then, we pop down to the Forward Club where we meet up with NAZEEM BARTMAN to talk about his recovery from injury, his role from the sidelines, and -- most important -- the Faisel Bartman Legacy Foundation tournament, an initiative to support at-risk youth in his hometown of Bonteheuwel, Cape Town, South Africa. We also go through playoff scenarios and, in Stoppage Time, chuckle ruefully on one of the greatest branding fails in soccer history.

⁠⁠SUPPORT THE FBL TOURNAMENT

LISTEN (or your favorite podcast app)

The team really left it all out there - I mean Christian lost blood in the game - and they worked their asses off, and to lose in PKs is heartbreaking. I hope USL looks at the format and considers extra time for cup finals - but surely not likely. In any event I feel horrible as a fan but more gutted for the boys. Great job guys!

That is all

THE JAGERMEISTER CUP FINAL IS SATURDAY and it is arguably the biggest game in club history (until the league playoffs at least). It's Madison's first chance at a trophy (well, besides the Henny). Today Nick & Rico from Linners & Wosers join us from Northern Colorado to preview the matchup. Plus, a Madison fan in Hailstorm territory hops on to tell us what to do in Windsor before and after the match. Then, we'll have a few thoughts on the 2-0 win over Spokane and some thoughts on how the rest of the league season is shaping up.

Click here to listen or find Talkin' Flock on your favorite podcast app!

⁠Click here for the Reddit thread on things to do in Windsor

Click here to get tickets to the Final⁠

⁠Click here for more info on travel and whatnot

Forward Madison currently stand on 31 points. The playoff line is the top eight teams in the league. The two teams in 8th and 9th place, Richmond Kickers and South Georgia Tormenta FC, both sit on 19 points with four games to play, each having a maximum of 31 points available.

However, since Richmond and Tormenta play each other on October 10th, only one of those teams can reach the 31 points necessary to claim a tiebreaker over Forward Madison. This means that the worst placing that Madison can finish is 8th, above the playoff line.

For those going to Windsor, CO for the Jägermeister Cup final - can't wait to see you there! Here's some important info for you to know:

• Forward Madison announced that we have a dedicated section, but the Flock is going one step further by covering the cost of tickets! The link to get those is here. They will also be covering costs for already purchased tickets, so get in touch with them if you've already done that!

• If you're looking for somewhere to stay: it appears that the team will not have a hotel block, but we're going to try to get most everyone to stay in one of the hotels on East Harmony Road west of I-25 in Fort Collins. You're obviously free to stay wherever, but having people stay near each other is obviously a bit more fun!

• If you're trying to find the best deals on flights, check out Google Flights - it's what I use to find the best flight options in terms of price and departure/arrival times.

• If you have other things you're looking to do in the Fort Collins area, check out this great post from shuflww!

• If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to reach out to me! You can DM me here, Twitter/X, or Instagram, and I will (hopefully/eventually) respond to you.

Hello Mingos,

I'm a Club 1856 member, season ticket holder in 2019, who moved to Colorado in 2020 and ended up in Windsor. I’ll be a FMFC fan for life and I’m pumped for the cup final to be in my city!

The Hailstorm have been much less successful in their startup (marketing, community engagement, finishing construction on their sports complex) and as a result they don’t really attract big crowds. I’m hoping the FMFC crew will travel and make the final feel like a home game in Madison! I wanted to do my part and throw out some suggestions from a (relatively new) local. Hope to see you all at the game!

The Stadium

The owners have not finished it yet, it's kindof out of town, and looks a bit sketch. Minimal food / drink vendors inside. I'd plan to pre/post game with food and drink, and plan for a DD to get you out of there if you're planning to get wild.

Hotels / House Rentals

Windsor has maybe 1-2 hotels, but I’d recommend Fort Collins or Centerra as a place to stay. Both are 20-30 min away, and have good options. 

Otherwise I’d suggest whatever hotel or home rental you can find for a good price. There are definitely some Airbnb / Vrbo / other rentals in or near town. It’s a small residential community, there are really no “unsafe” areas in Windsor, so find whatever matches your budget and location needs. 

Food / Drink

Doug’s Diner - Best breakfast spot in town, expect a line on weekends, get the biscuit!

Sol De Jalisco - Classic Mexican restaurant, if anyone in your party has a birthday they do a fun celebration.

Mi Tierra - Hole in the wall Mexican restaurant, quick, easy, delicious. Get your burrito smothered, their hot green chili is nice and spicy.

Roma Windsor - Mom and pop pizza shop

Chili Thai and Sala Thai - Both good options. Chili has a larger dining area, cheaper, bigger menu.

Windsor Lake Coffee - Cute downtown location, good breakfast option, yummy ice cream

Cafe Mexicali - CO burrito chain, a step up from Qdoba/Chipotle.

High Hops Brewery / Distillery / Plant Store - Do some garden shopping and then try a beer or cocktail in their greenhouse lounge. No children allowed in the drinking area though, and they close really early.

Windsor Mill - Built into some cool old architecture from the town’s early days. Windsor Mill Tavern is under the building, food and drink, Greenbush Bar on Regent vibes. Upstairs is Peculiar Ale brewery, and a fancier Tequila bar / restaurant. All open until 10 pm.

Hoedown Hill, The Grainhouse - Up on the tallest hill in Windsor, there’s a golf course and this year they added a ski / tube hill. The Grainhouse is a cool bar / restaurant built into an old grain silo that feels like a ski lodge in the winter. They specialize in poutine. Open until 9 pm.

William Oliver’s - Pub and Eatery, I’ve never been there but have friends that go like once a week so I assume it’s good. And they're one of the few places in town open late. Open until 2 am.

Safeway vs King Soopers - Two grocery stores in town, both have a Starbucks inside, King Soopers is better. Except it is the store where that weird guy with a Trump cape was photographed and posted on Reddit.

Windsor is a great residential community, but small and not a lot of tourist attraction. Downtown is cool, there are some craft shops and a nice bike store. Windsor Lake Boardwalk Park, Main Park and Eastman Park are some of the bigger natural areas to walk around and bring any kids to the playground. Other than outside recreation, there’s not too many other attractions that I’ve found. No dispensaries in town. I also have a 6-month-old and don’t get out much.

Other Areas

Fort Collins - About 30 min from Windsor, college town home of CO State. The corner of College Ave and Mountain Ave is the fun outdoor shopping/eating/drinking epicenter of town. Horsetooth Reservoir is probably close to 60 min from Windsor and is likely the closest to the mountains you can get in that amount of time. No football game that weekend.

Centerra in Loveland, CO - About 20 min from Windsor, cute outdoor shopping center with hotels, restaurants, shops, movie theater, outdoor sculpture garden and walking path.

Buc-ee’s - If it’s on your list of places to visit but you’re not going to TX anytime soon, there is a Buc-ee’s off I-25. It’s a combination gas station / Costco / theme park gift shop / BBQ joint. Still new to the area, still probably very crowded on weekends.

Denver - 60 minutes away, not really a fun place to just walk around. I’d only go if there’s specific things you plan to do. Broncos are away, Avalanche have a preseason game on the 27th, Nuggets are off-season, Rockies are playing at home Thursday - Sunday.

Boulder - 60 minutes away, another cute college town. Pearl Street = State Street. CU Buffs have an away game that weekend, so no Deion Sanders sightings. 

Ahoy Mingos, I'm a fan from the barren wastes of Utah, founding member of the Wasatch Mingos. Noticed the club store has an option to customize jerseys now and I NEED this new third kit in my life. The problem is that it's difficult to keep close tabs on the team this far away, and while I can celebrate the wins and mourne the losses, I don't get to watch as much as I'd like. That said, who's name should I get on my kit? I have a preference for defenders and hard tackling mids, does that mean Boyce is my huckleberry? Let me know. Thanks in advance and LFG Mingos!

Today, we have some concerning news out of Colorado, two great results, and a look ahead at The Biggest Match in Club History(tm), our second-ever semifinal!

Listen here or on your favorite podcast app!

https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/44ca88372451f4327d2025f891e0265e

Do season ticket holders get a ticket for the match tomorrow or should be buying a ticket?

I’ve searched (lazily, but still) and cannot find details on how knockout seeds are determined. Anyone know how those matchups are picked? If you do let me know where you found the info.

PK hype

Rob is flying solo today, Dan Carlin style, with some news out of Lexington and some more news out of Knoxville. Then, some thoughts on the win that was, the goal that wasn't, and where we sit in the league and the Cup. Speaking of the Cup, we finally have clarity on how the semifinal matchups and locations will be determined. Plus, the final match weekend presents a simply wild possibility. Mark your calendar for the Greenville vs Charlotte match on August 30 & listen to this podcast to find out why that game might be entirely bonkers.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts!

https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/7e5a8cef41a671bfc9886e1f27355743

Does anyone know why the goal was disallowed? Chaney was onsides

Dr David Magness, better known as FlorMingos, joins the show today to (briefly) touch on the loss to NoCo and then dig into the fantastic finish in the 2-2 draw at Omaha, where he was among a handful of away fans. Then, Tom Franklin (Soccer Zombie on YouTube) joins to talk about his tour of USL matches, the two Madison matches he's attended this year, how he ranks the experiences, soccer in St. Loius, MLS vs USL and lots more.

Listen here or your favorite podcast app!

https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/21d8a04e72b9e49625660e6666b975c9

POSTGAME INTERVIEWS with Matt Glaeser, Christian Chaney and Devin Boyce.

https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/02c86301a9f4d5e88894a65d520499c4 or find Talkin Flock on your favorite podcast app.

Plus! Let us know what you think & what you want to know. Coach Alex & Rob will do a mailbag kinda thing on Friday. Drop comments & qs in the comments or email talkinflock@gmail.com!

Saturday's match got postponed, but we're still on! USL headquarters held a midseason media call, and we have a few updates on the new TV deals, expansion, future editions of the Jagermeister Cup and USL in Milwaukee. Then, we sit down with Coach of the Year -- er, Month -- Matt Glaeser for a midseason check-in. NOTE: After I recorded the bit about the USL press call, I heard from the FMFC front office that Milwaukee is still on track for 2026, and there actually is no issue with the state funding. Listen here or your favorite podcast app!

https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/0dde7a933d1e7cb6e372926f4439985b

Does anyone have an issue with buying there tickets from the website? I don’t want to bring my laptop to the match to get let in. Do they accept screenshots? I’m sure I can show them I brought it with my confirmation email at will call window. Second time this happened to me. Was too sick to go to the last match when this happened.

Alex is away with coaching duties this week, so Rob welcomes Henny Derby cofounder and Walking 90 cohost Kyle Carr to talk through a tough week for the Mingos: a 2-0 loss to Knoxville in the Jagermeister Cup and a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Richmond Kickers. Then, Forward Madison assistant coach & youth program director Aaron Hohlbein joins to talk about Forward Futures as well as his soccer journey from Middleton to Kansas City to Florida and back.

Listen here or your favorite podcast app!

https://pod.link/1566891274/episode/7357cb335a40daa9239bec36be1700c8

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