Notorious Friday Night Posse (NFNP)

City SC Posse - Ep 18: City is Two Wins from a Trophy! One Match Before the Break!

St. Louis CITY SC is two wins from a trophy, and somehow this all started with a school-night family outing that turned into penalty shootout madness. In this episode of City SC Posse, Bright and Kev recap CITY’s wild U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal win over Houston Dynamo at Energizer Park. Bright was there with the whole family, and the night delivered everything: cheap tickets, general admission energy, long concession lines, kids running on popcorn and ice cream, Franky joining the unofficial Tarps Off movement, extra time, and a penalty shootout that made staying out way too late completely worth it. On the field, Marcel Hartel scored early, Houston answered almost immediately, Roman Bürki appeared to aggravate a lingering issue, and Ben Lundt came in cold for his first minutes of the season. Lundt gave up a tough goal before halftime, but settled in, made key saves, and then became the hero in penalties. The guys break down the full match, including Hartel’s opener, the chaotic Houston equalizer, the wet field, Bürki’s injury, Córdova drawing the penalty, Hartel burying the PK, Wallem somehow playing the entire match, and Polvara making a massive overtime recovery tackle that saved CITY’s Cup dream. Then came penalties. CITY finished its chances, Lundt saved Houston’s first and fourth attempts, and St. Louis advanced to the U.S. Open Cup semifinal. Colorado awaits in September, and CITY is now just two wins from lifting a trophy. Then the focus shifts to Austin. It is the final MLS match before the long break, Austin sits just one point above CITY, they just fired their coach, and they are still searching for their first road win of the season. With Wallem suspended and Hartel in form, this is simple: if CITY wants this improved run to mean something, go win at home before the pause. Cup dream alive. Austin next. No emotional letdown allowed. Listen now at NFNPPOD.com [http://NFNPPOD.com].

Ticks, Treasure, and Tarps Off

Duds is off living his best life in Greece, so this week Bright and Nilla take the wheel for a very NFNP episode that starts with end-of-school chaos, melted popsicles, kid vomit, foxes in the backyard, dog bills, and somehow ends up in tick conspiracies, Oak Island treasure theories, and shirtless Cardinals fans. The main topic is Alpha-gal Syndrome, also known as the red meat allergy, a bizarre and potentially serious condition linked to tick bites. The guys talk through how a tiny tick can allegedly turn a steak dinner into hives, swelling, GI issues, or worse, then dive into why tick-borne illnesses have become conspiracy fuel. Are rising tick populations just climate, deer, and habitat change? Or is there something darker involving Plum Island, bioweapons research, Bill Gates, Pfizer, and viral stories about boxes of ticks getting dropped on farmland? As usual, the answer is probably “calm down, but also why is everything weird?” Then the episode shifts into The Curse of Oak Island, because nothing says “healthy adult conversation” like a 230-year treasure hunt involving pirate loot, Knights Templar theories, flood tunnels, buried artifacts, precious metal traces, and a reality show that somehow keeps finding just enough to make everyone watch another season. Nilla breaks down the Money Pit, the curse, the strange island history, and why Oak Island may be either the greatest treasure mystery ever or television’s most expensive hole in the ground. Finally, the guys bring it home with Local in the Lou. The Cardinals are suddenly fun again, the Tarps Off movement has turned Busch Stadium’s right-field bleachers into a shirtless party zone, and St. Louis CITY SC gave Bright’s kids a first-team match they will not forget, complete with a U.S. Open Cup thriller, penalty kicks, late-night parenting decisions, and a shirt-waving celebration. This one has bugs, treasure, vomit, sports, conspiracy, and just enough bad judgment to feel like summer is officially here. Listen now at NFNPPOD.com [http://NFNPPOD.com]

City SC Posse - Ep 17: Maturity Test Failed, but The Cup is Calling

St. Louis CITY SC had a chance to prove something in D.C. After beating Colorado on the road and LAFC at home, CITY entered Saturday with real momentum, a chance at three straight MLS wins, and an opportunity to climb closer to the playoff line. Instead, they scored first, sat too deep, gave up a 90th-minute equalizer, survived a stoppage-time offside goal, and left with a 1-1 draw that felt like one point earned, two points dropped, and a small emotional incident report. In Episode 17 of City SC Posse, Bright and Kev break down the D.C. draw and ask the obvious question: was this a decent road point or a missed opportunity? The answer, unfortunately, is both. CITY is unbeaten in three MLS matches, but this was the kind of game improving teams learn to close. The guys talk through the rotated lineup, Hartel missing due to illness, Orozco’s injury, Fallou Fall’s strong first start, Sang-Bin’s continued goal involvement, Becher and Teuchert’s attacking questions, and Durkin scoring against his former club. Then it gets into the real frustration: Damet’s second-half tactics. CITY brought on Löwen, Córdova, Edelman, and Totland, yet somehow became more passive as the game went on. And yes, we talk Wallem. Another rough performance, another wasted chance, two yellows, a stoppage-time red card, and now a suspension for Austin that might accidentally be helpful. If CITY looks better without him, the conversation gets very simple. Then the attention turns to Houston. CITY hosts the Dynamo in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal, and suddenly the Cup is not a cute little side quest. Win Tuesday, and CITY is two wins from a trophy. Lose, and the D.C. draw feels even more annoying. CITY failed the maturity test, but the Cup is calling. Time to answer. Listen now at NFNPPOD.com [http://NFNPPOD.com] or wherever you get podcasts.

City SC Posse - Ep 16: Three Points, Don’t Ask Too Many Questions

CITY SC Posse is back, and for once, we get to talk about a road win. St. Louis CITY SC went to Colorado, won 1-0, scored first, kept a clean sheet, and somehow made all of it feel slightly illegal. Sang-Bin Jeong got the start, made the run, finished the breakaway, and gave CITY the kind of direct attacking moment fans have been begging for. Roman Bürki stayed solid, the defense survived, Colorado missed a late sitter that may still be orbiting the Denver skyline, and CITY walked away with three points. Are we declaring the season fixed? Absolutely not. This is still CITY. Let’s not act like one road win means the soccer gods have forgiven us. Bright and Kev break down the Colorado match, including the weird wind, Bürki’s goal kick that set up the winner, Becher’s flick-on, Sang-Bin’s finish, Wallem’s rough moments, Orozco’s risky decisions, Durkin’s late red card, and the corner kick chaos that nearly turned a rare road win into another emotional support incident. Then the boys look ahead to Wednesday night at home against LAFC. LAFC may not be the same monster they have been in past seasons, but they are still sitting near the top of the West, still dangerous, and still a team that punished CITY earlier this year. CITY will be without Durkin, Löwen’s minutes are still a question, and the biggest ask is simple: score first again, protect the back post, and finish the chances when they come. Also covered: betting regrets, corner kick totals, why losing money can feel okay when CITY wins, Jon Boy’s undefeated energy, and whether this team can finally string together more than one good result. Listen now at NFNPPOD.com [http://NFNPPOD.com] and wherever you get your podcasts.

California Dreamin’… or California Collapsin’?

California is one of the richest places on Earth. Hollywood, Silicon Valley, luxury homes, billion-dollar tech companies, and a $4 trillion economy. So why does it feel like it’s falling apart? This week on The Notorious Friday Night Posse, the guys break down the growing backlash against California leadership through the lens of Spencer Pratt’s viral run for Los Angeles mayor. After losing his home in the Palisades Fire, Pratt went from reality TV bad guy to anti-corruption outsider, calling out government incompetence, homelessness spending, NGO waste, crime, drugs, and failed leadership. The Posse dives into: * The Palisades Fire controversy * Empty reservoirs and fire preparation failures * California homelessness statistics * Fentanyl and open-air drug use * Why people are leaving California * How Missouri compares on cost of living and safety * Downtown St. Louis crime concerns * Cardinals attendance and downtown survival * Whether cities can recover once trust disappears The episode also features updates on the Cardinals, AI, Bitcoin, future economies, and why everyone apparently wants Tesla robots now. Funny, opinionated, conspiratorial at times, but grounded in real stats and real frustration. 🎙️ NFNPPOD.COM [http://NFNPPOD.COM]