Orange Slices Is Back | Mark McKenzie | 37 Days Out

Orange Slices is back — and the timing couldn't be better. With 37 days until the World Cup kicks off on home soil, Heath Pearce reconnects with co-host and active USMNT defender Mark McKenzie for a wide-open season premiere. Since the pod went dark: Mark got engaged, planned a wedding in five months (without inviting Heath), had a baby boy, moved from Belgium to Toulouse, and made his Ligue 1 debut — in that order, more or less. In this episode, Mark breaks down what it's actually like to go head-to-head with Dembélé and Marquinhos at PSG away, why the Vélodrome is the most hostile atmosphere he's ever played in, and what Pochettino demands from the very first training session. He also opens up about the 2022 World Cup cut — the 10 PM phone call, the pit in his stomach, and why, four years later, he'll admit he probably wasn't ready. Plus: the art of channeling competitor rage when you're also managing diapers. Orange Slices drops 2-3 times a week through the end of August. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.