Having watched AC vs. WAS I can't decide if Spirit even missing several starters is that good, or AC is just that bad. I however remain in love with everything Emslie, AC's most important player and one still charging at the bitter end.
Wow y'all, hate to ruin the Sinc happyday parade, but there is some crazy whistleblower shit going down on the Thorns reddit right now. I read there every so often...but the posts are seemingly indicating chaos behind the scenes and in the locker room. Just having a nice lil' late lunch and wondering what was happening there, as it's been a while, and I see a LOT of damning shit apparently from someone who has worked at the park for a long time....anyways, I didn't wanna post this on Sinc's retirement article so we can keep nice stories about her there.
Let me see if I can copy/paste compile some of the shit they're saying, from Soph unhappy to KK doing nothing to FO chaos to Sinc retiring bc she's unhappy with the direction here....
Yeah…I’d like to think that Sinc is more realistic about her future than that.
Kind of weird to stealth-sack Gale, but they kinda forced that when they took the interim tag off too soon.
The whole “wish they’d cleaned house” thing was a big concern when the Bhathals turned up without a soccer staff of their own. Who else could they turn to but the Peregrine people?
That doesn’t excuse the lack of urgency in cleaning house since then. But to have showed up and just swept out everything - without a staff ready to step in? That wasn’t ever a thing.
Sad shit, man. I'm vaguely curious about the Gale thing, though: Is he fake fired? Is he resigning? Did KK make that decision? Honestly not surprised (though a tad disappointed in her, all things considered) that Soph is shutting it down. Regardless, if this is true -- or even if elements of it are-- I imagine we'll know soon enough once the season ends, and I can't imagine the Bhathals are disconnected enough not to either. Seems like KK truly was MP's last "fuck you" to fans.
(I MUST say though: Despite the multitude of disconcerting stuff in that thread, the stated implication that Sinc *wasn't going to retire* if things were rosy is downright hilarious to me)
Lastly, this is an opportunity for some real journalism if someone feels like doing it!
Sinc said last year when she retired internationally that she would do one more year with Portland. I'm not sure why anyone is surprised that she's retiring at the end of the season or why people would assume she would keep playing.
I'm mostly joking, I've always assumed she was going to retire after this season. It's just funny that the redditor's implication was that she *wouldn't* have retired if the org was functioning better. Which, again, I don't think is actually true.
I mean yeah, it comes from someone none of us know on reddit. That said, it lines up with some other stuff I *do* know of, and we'll know pretty quickly how true it is if Soph doesn't play the rest of the year and Gale doesn't come back.
Yeah man, I'm just like....sad and tired at this point.
(The part you mention was a little lol to me also, but very much what many of y'all thought...which was that she might keep stretching it out year after year.)
We'll def find out by tomorrow re: Gale, if things are fishy. Maybe he's just sick of the shit. It sounds like hm, Vytas, and Sarah are the only sane ones there (regardless of skill/experience)...and it sounds like everything else is pretty toxic. Or maybe she's making him resign so she doesn't look bad? Who knows man. A lot of this honestly tracks with situations and firsthand things I already know about her, so it's not all that surprising to me.
I hope hope hope someone picks up these things are turns them into a story *hint hint*(!) even though I know Phuoc just put out the one about KK. It would be easy to just do a little digging and get some anonymous statements....Phuoc is on reddit now, it looks like. I'm not sure I can deal with watching this club get ground into the dirt in real time anymore than we already have...would love for someone to do/say something.
Speaking of some of that....I dunno if you can read your substack messages, but I sent you a few maybe a week or two ago. Only asking because I messaged Chief also, and he didn't see them until I mentioned it to him to look. You can respectfully decline, of course, but I think some of the info is pretty relevant. Even more so today....
I've followed the club since...well, before it WAS a club, when the league was forming and we were promised a team. So to sound like the old bastard I am...
"This is what soccer fandom is".
It's not called a cruel game for nothing. Unless you're an OL or ManU or Bayern fan, your team will eventually power-dive into the toilet. Hopefully the stay there is brief. But sometimes not (Hi Cloud Nine! Hi Whatever The Fuck The Poor Sad Houston Supporters Call Themselves!).
And the thing is...it's a game. There's always another. Another season. Another chance (except, well, sorry, Rochester...).
Yes. This has been the worst season since 2015.
But. At least nobody is getting screwed by the coach, so there's that.
Yeah, it's pretty much just a higher stakes version of what I've been saying, assuming everyone is right about KK: It's going to be a big offseason and we'll know if the Bhathals are sufficiently serious owners sometime between November and February.
Other than that, yeah: it sucks for the fans! I'm a big sports fan in general, but I can dissociate from the Blazers/Mariners/Seahawks/Timbers group when I feel like it because I don't feel quite as much of a connection with the team. It's much harder to do with the Thorns, who I've written about for a decade, watched since their inception, and talk about with y'all online frequently. It's an especially big bummer that, as the league and the sport grows, the Thorns still can't totally escape the shackles of the MP era despite the new ownership . Who knows if it's a total catastrophe, or 25/50/75% of what the redditor posted, but it's clearly *not good* regardless. Putting my faith in a couple of super rich folks from SoCal....doesn't feel particularly good either.
-"Rob Gale wont be coaching this team tonite and prob going forward. Sarah will be interim. Worse news. I seriously doubt we see SS for the rest of the season. I am told by a source with the team: "Nothings official, but there is zero percent chance she comes back this season" "
-When someone responded and questioned the severity of Soph's injury, they said:
"its an 'injury'. She is also pretty unhappy. Most of the team is - they all want this season over. you can see it on the pitch. the Gale decision prob just made it unbearable.
its been unstable from day one"
-"Smith has become rather toxic. I doubt that is the announcement. However, word is she wont return this season and is only communicating to team thru her agent."
-"Word is Linnehan was absent from team for being a locker room distraction. What is worse. Inside rumor is that Smith is being pretty toxic. This team is in chaos."
-"Smith? Being non communicative. Not being much on the 'team' perspective.
Doesn't talk or hang out with the team at all. I dont blame her. But its doing more harm for her legacy and the team than good. Dunn was like this too. When he husband was let go she became a nitemare. Linnehan I got less detail on. Was just told she was a distraction in the Locker room"
-"well. I work for the park not the team but I can still get fired - so thats why I made the account today. this team is in complete chaos right now. to have insight, I have worked here for 6 seasons and I know Timb and Thorns admin and players pretty well. The last 2 seasons have been becoming increasingly uncomfortable and strange. but when LeBlanc took over it rapidly became more and more insane by the day. I could go back as far as 2022 but I will stay current on the topic in question. part of why sinc is retiring is also because of club direction. I doubt kling or becky will be back 2025. Karina doesnt really do anything. and honestly there is zero oversite. people just chaotically do whatever they want. most 'employees' of the team spend more time hanging out than actually doing anything. most tasks are taken on by 4 of 5 people that seem overworked, underpaid and not that happy. Wiley is tasked with way too may things and they are only one person (and brand new this season). Her assistant isnt much more proactive. I dont understand who is steering this ship, but it feel like nobody. it feels like ownership after the 6 gk, transfers and releases of players still on payroll and the smith red card appeal debacle, they finally see she has no idea what she is doing. smith is probably frustrated. she started as a rookie in one of the best situations and now in her prime is stuck in this shitshow. which is prob why she is being 'toxic' (exact words I was told.) I cant say I blame her. knowing it from the inside, this park is an embarrassment and the facilities, locker rooms and equipment look like minor league used hand me downs. I really hope the Bethal family rights the course like they did with sacramento. because currently this team is in a bad place"
-"She made the announcement because she wants to retire a Thorn and was told my management they wouldnt resign her next season. I assume Kling and BS will be leaving next season as well."
-"No I work for the park. this is my 7th season. I know some players on both teams and most admin pretty well"
-"I dont know about Karina (who really needs to be fired) But I think Rob is gone. I havent heard anything since last game. But I was told before he was announce as 'sick' I that he was being let go. Not sure about that though"
-"its eggshells around here. it feels like everyone wants KK gone but they are also afraid of her and getting fired themselves. the weird thing is that this team was nothing like this 4 or 6 years ago. i know there were some bs coaching stuff and inappropriateness with them. but the organization felt like there was someone watching and making things happen. it hasnt felt like that for some time. ive seen big clients and such show up for meetings that she just forgot or ghosted. and then watched as her staff tried to reach her and save face."
-"Sarah is one of the good ones. So is Vytas."
-"thats where things get complicated. everyone really likes rob here. he is so nice and normal. but never belonged as gaffer. he was a great assistant and players had someone they trusted that they could complain to about the coaching staff and ownership. then when they made him interim the culture and dichotomy changed. now they didnt have that buffer, and he knew many of the things they shared in confidence. the players really like him. he just doesnt have the experience to be doing it at this level. but he is one of the nicest people i have ever met in my life. but not a good coach. his method is more vibe than actual coaching. and even that is only while he is present. you can tell when rob is or isnt at the park. the more he is there the better things are at least feeling wise. but i think thats where players frustration is. its easy to fire a jerk its harder to fire a great human. and rob is an exceptional guy."
-"i dont know mike norris that well. but he seemed intense. the nicest guy is mike smith. he is the sweetest kindest and most personable guy. but he says the f word almost every other word. lol. karina acts like a celebrity. its strange. all the other staff are angels. the athletic ppl are sweet and work their asses off. goal staff and jordan are awesome. its more the ops ppl and karinas team, either just complete incompetency or mean and unsupportive. there are major cliques and groups. i hope the bhatal fam cleans house. there are players like weaver and becky that are holding this thing together. our captain deserves so much credit. she is the only reason we have a shot at shit. she is the one holding the locker room together. almost alone. when they dont re sign her, we are fucked imo. i know this franchise has the support and athletic staff and roster to be great again. but the ownership needs to get rid of the admin and coaching staff almost 100% if they are serious about winning and having a good culture"
So.... I don't think all the players have given up on the season, though at times it has felt like there's a discernible "1, 2, 3 Cancun!!!" vibe.
I think those who played, played hard against Angel City. There was some real celebration when they went ahead, and some real frustration when they lost the lead.
I do think there's been some incredibly funky shit going on for a while, and I think it's time for the owners to take some decisive action.
I don't know about everything in these comments, but I have heard good things about Mike Smith; he's to be credited as doing great work in bringing in internationals. I've also heard from the beginning that Karina wasn't good at the job and that this hasn't really improved. Her rep is that she's hard to work with and that she still makes mistakes that a GM should not make.
Holy smokes, what a shit show if there's any truth to that. I feel awful for the players to get stuck with this for years! Fuck MP for this vibes hire without any qualifications just to try to take heat off GW.
If it's this bad, I sure hope the Bathals take it seriously to really clean house, not just lock down communication and focus on trying to win the PR battle. This club needs a true fresh start.
A lot of this is out of order and obviously in context to responses between (it wasn't just one thread), but this kiiinda gives you a good idea. Poor Bhathals reeeeeally should've just started fresh....
Thanks so much for this (I seldom visit Reddit), for all that it hurts my heart. Assuming this is all or at least mostly factual, it makes the team's current state on the pitch make perfect sense. Out-of-her-depth vibes hire GM who sounds like she harbors an entitled outlook on her position. Out-of-his-depth HC who should have been kept in an AC position he was good at. Superstar player sufficiently pissed off about it all that not only are we losing her, but she's become locker room cancer. Lots of dead weight in the FO.
Our new owners need to completely clean house. No mercy.
Angel City's threat to Portland appears to be over, as they're still 6 points behind Portland and we have a a match in hand.
Loovull and Bay still remain just 3 points behind us in pursuit of 7th place.
I can't believe I just wrote that last sentence.
Having watched AC vs. WAS I can't decide if Spirit even missing several starters is that good, or AC is just that bad. I however remain in love with everything Emslie, AC's most important player and one still charging at the bitter end.
Yeah, I'd be happy to have her here.
Soph still out tomm…(Turner also out now too)
https://x.com/thegoalkeeper/status/1839857897850724676?s=46&t=e8Gx9bM3HEyE6UzYl-Lilw
Wow y'all, hate to ruin the Sinc happyday parade, but there is some crazy whistleblower shit going down on the Thorns reddit right now. I read there every so often...but the posts are seemingly indicating chaos behind the scenes and in the locker room. Just having a nice lil' late lunch and wondering what was happening there, as it's been a while, and I see a LOT of damning shit apparently from someone who has worked at the park for a long time....anyways, I didn't wanna post this on Sinc's retirement article so we can keep nice stories about her there.
Let me see if I can copy/paste compile some of the shit they're saying, from Soph unhappy to KK doing nothing to FO chaos to Sinc retiring bc she's unhappy with the direction here....
Hello new owners: Your stamp, now would be the time to plant it.
--The This is the Real World Committee
Yeah…I’d like to think that Sinc is more realistic about her future than that.
Kind of weird to stealth-sack Gale, but they kinda forced that when they took the interim tag off too soon.
The whole “wish they’d cleaned house” thing was a big concern when the Bhathals turned up without a soccer staff of their own. Who else could they turn to but the Peregrine people?
That doesn’t excuse the lack of urgency in cleaning house since then. But to have showed up and just swept out everything - without a staff ready to step in? That wasn’t ever a thing.
Sad shit, man. I'm vaguely curious about the Gale thing, though: Is he fake fired? Is he resigning? Did KK make that decision? Honestly not surprised (though a tad disappointed in her, all things considered) that Soph is shutting it down. Regardless, if this is true -- or even if elements of it are-- I imagine we'll know soon enough once the season ends, and I can't imagine the Bhathals are disconnected enough not to either. Seems like KK truly was MP's last "fuck you" to fans.
(I MUST say though: Despite the multitude of disconcerting stuff in that thread, the stated implication that Sinc *wasn't going to retire* if things were rosy is downright hilarious to me)
Lastly, this is an opportunity for some real journalism if someone feels like doing it!
Sinc said last year when she retired internationally that she would do one more year with Portland. I'm not sure why anyone is surprised that she's retiring at the end of the season or why people would assume she would keep playing.
I'm mostly joking, I've always assumed she was going to retire after this season. It's just funny that the redditor's implication was that she *wouldn't* have retired if the org was functioning better. Which, again, I don't think is actually true.
Makes me a bit suspicious of the entire tirade with comments like that.
I mean yeah, it comes from someone none of us know on reddit. That said, it lines up with some other stuff I *do* know of, and we'll know pretty quickly how true it is if Soph doesn't play the rest of the year and Gale doesn't come back.
Yeah man, I'm just like....sad and tired at this point.
(The part you mention was a little lol to me also, but very much what many of y'all thought...which was that she might keep stretching it out year after year.)
We'll def find out by tomorrow re: Gale, if things are fishy. Maybe he's just sick of the shit. It sounds like hm, Vytas, and Sarah are the only sane ones there (regardless of skill/experience)...and it sounds like everything else is pretty toxic. Or maybe she's making him resign so she doesn't look bad? Who knows man. A lot of this honestly tracks with situations and firsthand things I already know about her, so it's not all that surprising to me.
I hope hope hope someone picks up these things are turns them into a story *hint hint*(!) even though I know Phuoc just put out the one about KK. It would be easy to just do a little digging and get some anonymous statements....Phuoc is on reddit now, it looks like. I'm not sure I can deal with watching this club get ground into the dirt in real time anymore than we already have...would love for someone to do/say something.
Speaking of some of that....I dunno if you can read your substack messages, but I sent you a few maybe a week or two ago. Only asking because I messaged Chief also, and he didn't see them until I mentioned it to him to look. You can respectfully decline, of course, but I think some of the info is pretty relevant. Even more so today....
I've followed the club since...well, before it WAS a club, when the league was forming and we were promised a team. So to sound like the old bastard I am...
"This is what soccer fandom is".
It's not called a cruel game for nothing. Unless you're an OL or ManU or Bayern fan, your team will eventually power-dive into the toilet. Hopefully the stay there is brief. But sometimes not (Hi Cloud Nine! Hi Whatever The Fuck The Poor Sad Houston Supporters Call Themselves!).
And the thing is...it's a game. There's always another. Another season. Another chance (except, well, sorry, Rochester...).
Yes. This has been the worst season since 2015.
But. At least nobody is getting screwed by the coach, so there's that.
As fans, all we can do is hope,.
Yeah, it's pretty much just a higher stakes version of what I've been saying, assuming everyone is right about KK: It's going to be a big offseason and we'll know if the Bhathals are sufficiently serious owners sometime between November and February.
Other than that, yeah: it sucks for the fans! I'm a big sports fan in general, but I can dissociate from the Blazers/Mariners/Seahawks/Timbers group when I feel like it because I don't feel quite as much of a connection with the team. It's much harder to do with the Thorns, who I've written about for a decade, watched since their inception, and talk about with y'all online frequently. It's an especially big bummer that, as the league and the sport grows, the Thorns still can't totally escape the shackles of the MP era despite the new ownership . Who knows if it's a total catastrophe, or 25/50/75% of what the redditor posted, but it's clearly *not good* regardless. Putting my faith in a couple of super rich folks from SoCal....doesn't feel particularly good either.
-"Rob Gale wont be coaching this team tonite and prob going forward. Sarah will be interim. Worse news. I seriously doubt we see SS for the rest of the season. I am told by a source with the team: "Nothings official, but there is zero percent chance she comes back this season" "
-When someone responded and questioned the severity of Soph's injury, they said:
"its an 'injury'. She is also pretty unhappy. Most of the team is - they all want this season over. you can see it on the pitch. the Gale decision prob just made it unbearable.
its been unstable from day one"
-"Smith has become rather toxic. I doubt that is the announcement. However, word is she wont return this season and is only communicating to team thru her agent."
-"Word is Linnehan was absent from team for being a locker room distraction. What is worse. Inside rumor is that Smith is being pretty toxic. This team is in chaos."
-"Smith? Being non communicative. Not being much on the 'team' perspective.
Doesn't talk or hang out with the team at all. I dont blame her. But its doing more harm for her legacy and the team than good. Dunn was like this too. When he husband was let go she became a nitemare. Linnehan I got less detail on. Was just told she was a distraction in the Locker room"
-"well. I work for the park not the team but I can still get fired - so thats why I made the account today. this team is in complete chaos right now. to have insight, I have worked here for 6 seasons and I know Timb and Thorns admin and players pretty well. The last 2 seasons have been becoming increasingly uncomfortable and strange. but when LeBlanc took over it rapidly became more and more insane by the day. I could go back as far as 2022 but I will stay current on the topic in question. part of why sinc is retiring is also because of club direction. I doubt kling or becky will be back 2025. Karina doesnt really do anything. and honestly there is zero oversite. people just chaotically do whatever they want. most 'employees' of the team spend more time hanging out than actually doing anything. most tasks are taken on by 4 of 5 people that seem overworked, underpaid and not that happy. Wiley is tasked with way too may things and they are only one person (and brand new this season). Her assistant isnt much more proactive. I dont understand who is steering this ship, but it feel like nobody. it feels like ownership after the 6 gk, transfers and releases of players still on payroll and the smith red card appeal debacle, they finally see she has no idea what she is doing. smith is probably frustrated. she started as a rookie in one of the best situations and now in her prime is stuck in this shitshow. which is prob why she is being 'toxic' (exact words I was told.) I cant say I blame her. knowing it from the inside, this park is an embarrassment and the facilities, locker rooms and equipment look like minor league used hand me downs. I really hope the Bethal family rights the course like they did with sacramento. because currently this team is in a bad place"
-"She made the announcement because she wants to retire a Thorn and was told my management they wouldnt resign her next season. I assume Kling and BS will be leaving next season as well."
-"No I work for the park. this is my 7th season. I know some players on both teams and most admin pretty well"
-"I dont know about Karina (who really needs to be fired) But I think Rob is gone. I havent heard anything since last game. But I was told before he was announce as 'sick' I that he was being let go. Not sure about that though"
-"its eggshells around here. it feels like everyone wants KK gone but they are also afraid of her and getting fired themselves. the weird thing is that this team was nothing like this 4 or 6 years ago. i know there were some bs coaching stuff and inappropriateness with them. but the organization felt like there was someone watching and making things happen. it hasnt felt like that for some time. ive seen big clients and such show up for meetings that she just forgot or ghosted. and then watched as her staff tried to reach her and save face."
-"Sarah is one of the good ones. So is Vytas."
-"thats where things get complicated. everyone really likes rob here. he is so nice and normal. but never belonged as gaffer. he was a great assistant and players had someone they trusted that they could complain to about the coaching staff and ownership. then when they made him interim the culture and dichotomy changed. now they didnt have that buffer, and he knew many of the things they shared in confidence. the players really like him. he just doesnt have the experience to be doing it at this level. but he is one of the nicest people i have ever met in my life. but not a good coach. his method is more vibe than actual coaching. and even that is only while he is present. you can tell when rob is or isnt at the park. the more he is there the better things are at least feeling wise. but i think thats where players frustration is. its easy to fire a jerk its harder to fire a great human. and rob is an exceptional guy."
-"i dont know mike norris that well. but he seemed intense. the nicest guy is mike smith. he is the sweetest kindest and most personable guy. but he says the f word almost every other word. lol. karina acts like a celebrity. its strange. all the other staff are angels. the athletic ppl are sweet and work their asses off. goal staff and jordan are awesome. its more the ops ppl and karinas team, either just complete incompetency or mean and unsupportive. there are major cliques and groups. i hope the bhatal fam cleans house. there are players like weaver and becky that are holding this thing together. our captain deserves so much credit. she is the only reason we have a shot at shit. she is the one holding the locker room together. almost alone. when they dont re sign her, we are fucked imo. i know this franchise has the support and athletic staff and roster to be great again. but the ownership needs to get rid of the admin and coaching staff almost 100% if they are serious about winning and having a good culture"
So.... I don't think all the players have given up on the season, though at times it has felt like there's a discernible "1, 2, 3 Cancun!!!" vibe.
I think those who played, played hard against Angel City. There was some real celebration when they went ahead, and some real frustration when they lost the lead.
I do think there's been some incredibly funky shit going on for a while, and I think it's time for the owners to take some decisive action.
I don't know about everything in these comments, but I have heard good things about Mike Smith; he's to be credited as doing great work in bringing in internationals. I've also heard from the beginning that Karina wasn't good at the job and that this hasn't really improved. Her rep is that she's hard to work with and that she still makes mistakes that a GM should not make.
Holy smokes, what a shit show if there's any truth to that. I feel awful for the players to get stuck with this for years! Fuck MP for this vibes hire without any qualifications just to try to take heat off GW.
If it's this bad, I sure hope the Bathals take it seriously to really clean house, not just lock down communication and focus on trying to win the PR battle. This club needs a true fresh start.
If Ken is “sick” again tonight I’ll be more inclined to believe that he’s been canned.
WHEEEWWWWWWWW.
A lot of this is out of order and obviously in context to responses between (it wasn't just one thread), but this kiiinda gives you a good idea. Poor Bhathals reeeeeally should've just started fresh....
Thanks so much for this (I seldom visit Reddit), for all that it hurts my heart. Assuming this is all or at least mostly factual, it makes the team's current state on the pitch make perfect sense. Out-of-her-depth vibes hire GM who sounds like she harbors an entitled outlook on her position. Out-of-his-depth HC who should have been kept in an AC position he was good at. Superstar player sufficiently pissed off about it all that not only are we losing her, but she's become locker room cancer. Lots of dead weight in the FO.
Our new owners need to completely clean house. No mercy.
The things I miss not being on the socials, my, my…