230224 Raven Newsletter

HAIL GFOP!

I type with fingers filled with a burning dose of Carabao Cup Fever. Nothing will thaw the snow storms that have battered so many of you in the past week more than a case O’Carabao. Elated to have a weekend in which we can build a fire, bake a pie, set up a bar within reach of the couch, and watch football, beautiful football.

It has been a wild first two months of the year at MiB and one of the things I want to do more of is to use this newsletter to give you an occasional glimpse of what we are building behind the scenes in 2023. This is a massive year for us as the profile of the sport we love continues to surge in the nation we adore. This is a World Cup year. Next summer, the Copa America will be held on home turf. Then we charge towards a Men’s World Cup which will be held across North America. The love for, and interest in our sport is soaring and we have spent a good part of the last year working out how to build our network which has grown out of the tiny acorn of the original MiB pod. We very much remain an indie record label, but our dream is to be able to offer voices that revel in every one of the leagues and tournaments – Men’s and Women’s, domestic and global – that you have told us you live for.

This year we are adding new voices. We are currently building a production team around the singular voice of Herculez Gomez, which has been a really nourishing creative process. Herc is someone I always admired as a player, and just as much as a broadcaster, and I am genuinely giddy we can work together on this project. More to come on that, as well as a slew of women’s voices we are honored to partner with in the run up to the World Cup.

Our goal is pretty simple: to do a lot of good stuff with great people. I hope with all my heart that this is a 24-month period when our network can really serve and stoke the footballing passion that is at the heart of our community.

PS. JJ Watt is coming on next week. Email me the questions you have for him about Life, Retirement, Fatherhood, and Chelsea.

MiB Programming Note 🗣️🗣️🗣️

Sunday. Sunday. Sunday. It's the big one. Our John Oliver Annual Mid-Season Review Television Show on Peacock. Yes, we know it's February. But such is our post-World Cup reality. And while FIFA can ruin the club football calendar, they cannot do anything to dim John's brilliance, which burns with the heat of a thousand suns in this one. Do not miss it. Available on Sunday RIGHT HERE, along with every show we've done from the past two seasons.

2. To the Football

🏆 Carabao Cup Final: Manchester United vs Newcastle (Sunday, 11.30 AM ET, ESPN+) 🏆

Manchester United attempt to end the agony and embarrassment of a six-year trophy famine, signaling the possibility of a feast to come under Erik ten Hag who has changed the feel, the football, and the fortune at Old Trafford just eight months into the job. Ten Hag’s brilliant tactical changes last night were enough to fend off Barcelona. Just three days later his squad will hold their breath to see if Marcus Rashford is fit as they face up to a similarly rejuvenated Newcastle who have Saudi’d their way to Wembley under Eddie Howe. Both teams have statements of intent to make. The dominant storyline going into this one is in the Toon goal. The red card Nick Pope picked up after “Mr. Beaning” himself into a one-game suspension against Liverpool means Loris Karius must deputize. The once-Liverpool player whose career melted in the glare of the Champions League final spotlight. Karius has become a figure of scorn, yet his descent is a reminder of the mental anguish elite goalkeepers grapple with on a daily basis that are enough to consume a person. Anyone who has read the incredible yet haunting A Life Too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke will be rooting for him.

More: Miguel Delaney on Sportswashing and the prospect of a Qatari United.

And: Toon have Tunes: Is this the Geordie Super Bowl Shuffle? 🤔🕺

ii. Tottenham vs. Chelsea (Sunday, 8.30 AM ET, USA)

Unraveling season against an inconsistent one. Tenth place Chelsea have won two in 15 league games. A season capsized by Todd Boehly’s desire to live out a shot-by-shot remake of Brewster’s Millions at the club. Graham Potter is barely hanging on as his squad, A-List in name and bloated in paycheck, ignore him all the way to Tottenham. Spurs could not be more inconsistent if their form was dictated by an attention-seeking 5-year-old who insists on flicking a light switch on and off repeatedly. The bile of a humiliating loss against Leicester and a DOA performance in Milan was washed away by victory against an enfeebled West Ham. That and the flailing form of their rivals has given their season the patina of a Top Four chase.

More: Pulisic back in training. And so is his beard. Chelsea play Leeds next week. Wink. Wink.

iii. Bournemouth vs. Manchester City (Saturday, 12.30 PM ET, NBC Proper)

Manchester City are morphing into a strange cautionary tale. An undoubted powerhouse who have won it all yet still seem utterly miserable. Like a billionaire surrounded by piles of cash, a garage full of Maybachs, and a superyacht moored off a private island who realize these are not the secret to happiness. A fraught Pep cuts the figure of a control freak battling forces he cannot manipulate. His City are still able to menace, threaten, and bully. Yet, as Nottingham Forest and Leipzig have shown us in the past week, they remain strangely vulnerable. Pep left the Champions League midweek with a draw, having elected to make zero substitutions, and then brooded about having to play four games in 10 days. What to expect at Bournemouth other than avant-garde knitwear is anyone’s guess.

iv. Leicester vs. Arsenal (Saturday, 10 AM ET, P’Cock)

Two points clear with a game in hand, Arsenal pray Thomas Partey will return after two games out with a thigh injury. Brodge will look to piss in the punch against an opponent buoyed by news Bukayo Saka has agreed to sign a new contract. I really enjoyed this tribute video to his inimitable skills.

v. Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool (Saturday, 2.45 PM ET, P’Cock)

How do you follow up your worst home European defeat in club history? The much ballyhooed revival, blown away like a new toupee in the first strong wind. That overblown sense of hope fostered by wins against relegation’s Everton and 10-man Newcastle was mere misdirection to set up Tuesday’s night’s humiliation against Real Madrid. A pummeling surrender in which all Liverpool’s flaws were so cruelly exposed. The attack that could not gel; the shattered, punchdrunk midfield; a defense, fearful and vulnerable when opened up. Crystal Palace lack the injured Zaha, but Eze, Olise, and Ayew will be salivating at the opportunity to have a go. I loved what Klopp said about his team this morning.

More: What will Klopp do to limit the blast radius of the Real Madrid Debacle?

vi. Everton vs. Aston Villa (Saturday, 10 AM ET, P’Cock)

The reverse fixture played back in August sounds like it was played in an alternate universe. Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa overwhelmed Frank Lampard’s Everton 2-1. The only perverse pleasure on that day for Blues fans, an own goal from turncoat Lucas Digne. How much has changed since then. Sean Dyche’s Blues are seeking to build off Seamus Coleman’s old man wonder goal that sunk Leeds, albeit without DCL who remains allergic to football. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa have more than enough to strangle their opponent’s dreams, yet always seem to have a mistake in them.

vii. Leeds United vs. Southampton (Saturday, 10 AM ET, USA)

Footballing cliches abound as new Leeds gaffer Javi Gracia prays for a New Manager Bounce in a bottom of the table Six-Pointer. Here’s a list of what the man who dodged relegation at Watford must do in his new role, other than “speak American.” The Leeds tactical challenges that lie ahead.

More: Miguel Delaney interviews Leeds’ new Jesse Marsch.

Finally: Whole Premier League Broadcast Schedule here 🍻

3. News from MIB-Land. World’s Saddest Theme Park

i. The Men in Blazers Pod Feed, which reads like a veritable Arby's Menu of audio offerings this week. Rog and Davo talking Premier League (and invisible asteroids); Rog and Rory Smith in European Nights, Presented by Paramount+; Rog with a fairly schadenfreude-filled special Do it Live! after Liverpool 2 - 5 Real Madrid; a Camarena Pod Special with The Lumineers' Jeremiah Fraites, massive Juventus fan, in which we talk Weston McKennie and his piano playing. SOME WEEK. And it is all available on our POD FEED. GFOPs, if you love the Pod, we ask that you take two minutes to rate, share or review it. It will help more than you know.

ii. And talking of the Pod, this week saw us publish the FIRST EVER VIDEO THAT INCLUDES THE ENTIRE POD. That is right. From, "From the Crap Part of..." all the way through "Love ya, Davo. Love ya, Rog." WATCH THE ENTIRE PODCAST ON OUR YOUTUBE. We are putting so much content on our YouTube. Including a special interview with Daryl Dike, which I love because he is such a joyful human being by nature and it was fascinating to hear him describe how he has turned that frame of mind to the challenge of long term injury and the agony of a missed World Cup. Subscribe. Subscribe. Subscribe.

iii. Coming up next week on Men in Blazers... a very special interview with the Soundtrack to our Premier League mornings. The GREAT Peter Drury. I filmed it yesterday and it was honestly really beautiful. Peter’s approach to football is pretty simple but I love it. He said, “Every game is to be relished, if you’re there it’s good to be alive.”

4. More Football, Did Ya Say?

i. Football regulator! UK government confirms new independent body that, amongst other powers, can block clubs from joining a breakaway European Super League. Miguel Delaney writes that this is groundbreaking: “England is set to become the first major nation to make football a government-regulated industry,” but also wonders why the Premier League is the only body not to welcome it, and big picture, if it has all come too late?

ii. Voices from Ukraine football a year into war. Haunting 🇺🇦

iii. Barcelona’s referee bribing scandal. Much more needs to be known.

iv. Incredible Thread: Weirdest Man of the Match awards of all time. Worth experiencing just for the bemused looks on the players’ faces.

5. 🇺🇸 USA! USA! USA! She Believes Champs

Back-to-Back-to-Back-to-Back 🏆

USA beat Brazil 2-1 on Wednesday night to close out a stroll through the tournament. This emphatic goal from Alex Morgan is pretty sweet to savor. It was Morgan’s 14th goal since the birth of her daughter in 2020, giving her the national team record for most goals as a mom. Mallory Swanson scored again – sixth straight game. Incredible to see her add a level of clinicality to her game that we've not quite seen before. She has become one of those strikers who, as the saying goes, "just needs half a chance and she'll score." Proof: Megan Rapinoe started to celebrate before Swanson had pulled her foot back to shoot. The United States is undefeated in five straight games, yet still remains a work in progress. Rose Lavelle returned from injury and was a joy to witness back on the field – but the midfield still lacks rhythm and balance with three games to go until the World Cup.

More: Interesting article on England’s realization it has a startling lack of diversity in its Women’s Teams.

6. John Motson RIP 🙌

Motson, the Legendary British commentator who was akin to the Keith Jackson or Vin Scully of Soccer, passed away yesterday aged 77. An eccentric Englishman who was the soundtrack of the game for millions of football fans from 1971 to 2015. If you want to gain a taste of his “less is more” stylings, savor this piece. I can tell you that when I interviewed Peter Drury yesterday, he spoke incredibly movingly about the impact and legacy of Motty. Here is Martin Tyler’s thoughtful tribute.

7. Not Football, and All the Better for It

i. I adored the movie Argentina, 1985 which is available on Amazon. A reminder of the darkness of recent history on which the national joy we saw at the World Cup was grounded. Incredible to see Lionel Messi this week throw his weight behind the film’s Oscar Nomination. Leo knows Movies.

ii. Five Legendary Lost Cities that have Never Been Found. Me when I talk about the outer boroughs.

iii. The Great LA Dumpling Drama. Love any Dumpling article that sounds like a Peanuts movie.

iv. Master the Art of Napping. Step No. 1. Put on Men in Blazers Pod.

v. Jeremy Strong Will Never Break. Every inch of this profile is great in the way that only profiles of Jeremy Strong can be but man oh man did this get me: “'I mean, it’s kind of like…f*8k Brooklyn.' A goose honks in the distance. “Should we follow that sound?”

More: My podcast with Jeremy Strong is one of my favorite things we have ever done

vi. Britain is running out of salad. Let us explain. A weird fact about New York is that in any kind of run-on-the-grocery-store type crisis the first thing to run out is always the lettuce and I can't really explain this because lettuce is obviously such an impractical food to buy in a crisis stock-up but of course I'm always trying to buy lettuce when I notice it so I guess there's your answer.

vii. The buses of New York City. Public transit art is the best art.

viii. Learn how 788 things are made. Not seeing an entry on how Haaland was created in a Nordic lab though...

ix. Magic Mike's Choreographers on the Art of a Great Lap Dance. Watched the original Magic Mike for the first time the other day and if I'm being honest with you guys, that is a piece of my life that I will never get back.

x. The new historical American Girl dolls are twins, Isabel and Nicki, living in Seattle in 1999. I have never really understood Francis Fukuyama's End of History until this very moment.

xi. All Radiohead Songs Are Sad, but This Graph Shows Which Are the Saddest. Oh to be 13 years old and miserable and hearing Creep for the very first time.

xii Japanese Officials Investigate Mysterious Sphere That Washed Up on Beach. Just taking a wild swing here...was it a balloon?

xiii. A book: Pride of a Nation: A Celebration of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team by Gwendolyn Oxenham. Gwen Oxenham is one of my favorite writers in football. Here she has partnered with US Soccer on an official history of USWNT. I would support anything Gwen does, but this is a beautiful full-color volume which would make a magical gift for any kid who loves the game.

xiv. I love this Song: Lights Up, Lights Up by Fenne Lilly

That is it for today. Again, thank you for all your letters sent to [email protected]. Your ideas, insights, and suggestions make our week. I am going to close with a magical Raven we just received from Brian Sandford who lives in Boston.

Brian writes, “I'm sitting here having a little rum de sip-sip and wanted to share thoughts on losing.

In the last calendar year, I've watched:

- Liverpool miss the league title by 1 point

- Liverpool lose the Champions League Title

- Philadelphia Phillies lose the World Series

- Philadelphia Eagles lose the Superbowl

(We won't talk about the latest Madrid game)

That is a lot of lost games. A lot of agonizing heartbreak, and visions of glory falling through my hands like sand.

But still, I am glad. I got to watch both LFC losses with friends, drowning our sorrows in beer. My Dad and I got to watch Game Five of the Series in person, an amazing communal experience with the beautiful people of Philadelphia. Hugging strangers when Kyle Schwarber hit a lead off homerun? Incredible! And my whole family came together for the Superbowl, even those who don't usually watch sports felt all the ups and downs intensely. Strong memories, even when tinged with a loss at the end. But in the future, when I look back at these games, I hope I remember the emotion and the people I was with, even if we didn't walk away with a win. I would like the confetti, and parade, and trophy, but it's hard to ask for more than good memories.”

Brian. As a gent who cheers for Everton, the Bears, and the White Sox, I adored this letter. The spirit of it. The sense of taking nothing for granted. The memories made along the way, which are ultimately all that are important. I raise my Bud back to you, and toast “To Losing.”

I will be back on Monday.

Big Love

Courage

ROG