"It will take part of my soul away if they hoist the Cup"

It's down to the MLS Cup Final and this year it's between LA Galaxy and...the New York Red Bulls. Yes, New York City FC's fiercest rivals are one win away from hoisting their first-ever MLS Cup, and this episode starts with hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan sharing their thoughts on that uncomfortable possibility, while giving some begrudging props to the success of Red Bull's approach to games throughout their underdog run through the MLS Cup Playoffs. How big will the absence of LA Galaxy star Riqui Puig be, and does it all come down to whoever manages to grab that first goal? Episode 16 then shifts to some New York City FC roster talk, specifically as it pertains to the upcoming MLS Expansion Draft in which San Diego FC has a chance to pick five eligible players from five different MLS teams. Mark has a lot of thoughts on the concept of expansion drafts, mainly that they shouldn't exist, but he and John also get into some of the tough decisions NYCFC faces while making a list of 12 players to protect from possible selection. Things wrap up with a discussion of Etihad Park, which had its ceremonial groundbreaking and is shovels-in-the-ground as it moves toward opening in 2027. Maybe the positive future soccer stadium vibes will be enough to hold you over during the cold, quiet days of the offseason. When you're done listening, be sure you follow Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, and Twitter (X), and read all our coverage of NYCFC and beyond at HudsonRiverBlue.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.