Soccer is a Kick in the Grass Podcasts

Dick Howard talked about Spurs beating Everton in Monday, the battle for the Champions league places in England, the German promotion/relegation playoff result, Juventus pulling away in Serie A and Toronto FC starting play in the MLS is Back tournament,

Michael Lewis broke the news that FC Dallas had dropped out of the MLS is Back tournament and the ramifications of that move, the initial matches in the MLS tournament this week, the US Soccer press conference about the cities bidding for the 2026 World Cup and the latest in the NWSL Challenge Cup Tournament.

Our special guest was the owner of the Rochester Lancers, "Soccer" Sam Fantauzzo, who spoke on the potential restart of the MASL season for the playoffs, the status of the outdoor men's and women's Lancers, the prep work for the 2021 indoor season and the end of his 25 year long soccer radio show, Kick This.

Dick Howard talked about Liverpool winning the league for the first time in 30 years, the FA Cup semi-final draw, Bayern Munich winning the Bundesliga again, the battle for 1st in Serie A, the resigning of keeper Gianluigi Buffon by Juventus and the battle for first in La Liga between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Front Row Soccer's Michael Lewis discussed the Coronavirus status in NYC, Christian Pulisic's recent excellent form and if he can help the US to the 2022 World Cup, the state of the MLS is Back Tournament starting next week in Orlando and the NWSL being the first league to restart in the US after COVID-19.

The show was back live and celebrated its 26th anniversary on the air! Our special guest live from Orlando was the Director of Communications for Orlando City SC and the Orlando Pride, Jackie Maynard, who spoke on the preparations for the MLS is Back tournament in Orlando and the NWSL Tournament in Salt Lake City.

Dick Howard talked about the return of soccer in Germany, Italy, Spain and England and the final 8 in the UEFA Champions League being played in Lisbon over 12 days. Front Row Soccer's Michael Lewis discussed the return of MLS, NYCFC having to train at the NY Red Bulls facility due to NY City still being shut down and how quickly the teams can prep for actual tournament matches in a short time.

This "Best of" Soccer is a Kick in the Grass show included past interviews with 4 members of the Rochester Lancers Outdoor Wall of Fame! Our guests were Lancers captain and former U.S. Soccer Men's International Jim Pollihan, former North American Soccer League all-star Eli Durante, Canadian Soccer Hall of Famer Branko Segota and the Lancers all-time leading scorer, the late Mike Stojanovic.

Our "Best of" Soccer is a Kick in the Grass show for Memorial Day featured the superstars of the World Champion U.S. Soccer Women's National Team! You will hear past interviews with FIFA Women's POTY Megan Rapinoe, former POTY's Carli Lloyd and Abby Wambach and double FIFA Women's World Cup, Olympic and National Women's Soccer League champion Tobin Heath!

On this "Best Of" show, we completed a two-part series on the founding and early years of the Rochester Lancers, the oldest pro franchise in US Soccer, which started in 1967 and is still going strong in 2020. Lancers Historian Andrew Battisti had the honor of speaking at length with the man without whom there would be no professional soccer in the United States today, the Chairman of the Board of the original Rochester Lancers, Charlie Schiano, a gentleman who should be a part of the US Soccer Hall of Fame.

In Part Two, Charlie discussed the 1970 season where the Lancers won the NASL Title, 1971 where the Lancers were the regular season NASL champs and played in the longest 2 matches in pro soccer history and the Lancers competing in the 1972 CONCACAF Champions Cup in Guatemala.

This is a "Best Of" Soccer is a Kick in the Grass from Memorial Day weekend in 2010. Joe Sirianni, Andrew Battisti, Michael Lewis and Dick Howard previewed the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. We gave our thoughts on the 8 groups/32 teams and our predictions of who would make the knockout stage and eventually raise the trophy. Who did the best job in prognosticating the results? Listen and find out!

This is a "Best Of" Soccer is a Kick in the Grass from April 2, 2012 and August 1, 2011. We paid tribute to the late Giorgio Chinaglia on the day after his passing featuring a number of former Lancers sharing their memories of the Cosmos number nine. We welcomed the Chairman of the Board of the Lancers, Charlie Schiano, Lancers players Nelson Cupello, Pat Ercoli and Fred Grgurev and coach Don Popovic. As a special bonus, we started the show with the final interview we did with Giorgio from 2011 when the Cosmos returned to pro soccer in the new NASL.

This is a "Best Of" Soccer is a Kick in the Grass from April 30, 2014. Joe Sirianni and Andrew Battisti broadcasted live from the Italian American Community Center, who hosted the 2014 Western New York Flash kickoff dinner. The Flash, who are now the North Carolina Courage were in the middle of a run that would earn them 13 trophies in the last decade. We interviewed not one, but 2 FIFA Women’s Players of the Year, Carli Lloyd and Rochester’s Abby Wambach, plus a number of NWSL veterans and international stars.

This is a "Best Of" Soccer is a Kick in the Grass from October 19, 2015. Joe Sirianni and I broadcasted live from the Italian American Sport Club at the Rochester Rhinos Season Ticket Holder Party. It was a celebration of the Rhinos winning the 2015 USL regular season and playoff titles in record fashion, losing just 1 match of their 35 played that season.

We interviewed all of the Rhinos players and coaches in a whirlwind 60 minute show that capped off one of the greatest campaigns in US Soccer history.

Our special guest live from Las Vegas was the 1st inductee into the Rochester Rhinos Hall of Fame, Lenin Steenkamp, who talked about the Rhinos historic 4-3 US Open Cup win in 1996 over the top team in MLS, Tampa Bay, how the Coronavirus is impacting soccer in the US and with his children's team, Heat FC, and what it is like for the city of Las Vegas to be dark.

Dick Howard, Joe Sirianni and Michael Lewis all talked about the latest impacts of COVID-19 in their locations of Toronto, Miami and NY City and their home countries as well. Dick discussed the Canadian Soccer Federation's release of "Canada Soccer Nation Inside" on their website to help Canada's soccer players and fans with special historical and fun content about Canadian soccer, teams in Germany restarting practice and which countries are actually playing league soccer currently.

Michael gave his personal Top 10 list of favorite MLS moments as the league celebrated the 25th anniversary of its initial match on April 6.

Our special guest live from California was former Rochester Rhinos player and former coach of the US U-16 Boys National team, Shaun Tsakiris, who spoke on the impact COVID-19 is having on his players, how they players are training and improving their game during the pandemic and how the shutdown is impacting his club. You can read a recent 2-part interview with Shaun from Soccer Today here (part 1) and here (part 2).

Michael Lewis of www.frontrowsoccer.com, Dick Howard, Joe Sirianni and Andrew Battisti all talked about the latest impacts of COVID-19 in their locations of Toronto, Miami and NY City and their home countries as well. Dick discussed UEFA meeting this week to decide the fate of the Champions League, Europa League and the domestic leagues, how the large Brazilian stadiums are now serving as hospitals and the only domestic league in Europe still playing.

Michael also reported on former NE Revolution player Marshall Leonard now serving as a doctor in NY City treating COVID-19, the shutting down of the lower level US domestic leagues and the plans for MLS once the league resumes.

Our special guest live from Oklahoma was the captain of the 1970 NASL Champion Rochester Lancers, Charlie Mitchell, who talked about his memories of the 1970 team and how it was a family, how the team would fare against the later NASL teams and MLS sides of today and how the Coronavirus is impacting Oklahoma.

Michael Lewis of www.frontrowsoccer.com, Dick Howard, Joe Sirianni and Andrew Battisti all talked about the latest impacts of COVID-19 in their locations of Toronto, Miami and NY City and their home countries as well. Dick discussed the Olympics, Euro 2020 and Copa America being postponed for a year and the soccer players around the globe who have been infected with the virus.

Michael also reported on William Wilson being named the new CEO of US Soccer and what that means for the sport and the "Lord of all Indoors", Steve Zungul, being named on the Veteran's ballot for the US Soccer Hall of Fame for the first time.

Our special guest was Rochester Lancers coach Doug Miller, who reflected on the Lancers indoor season that concluded early due to the Coronavirus, talked about the upcoming NPSL outdoor season and the status of Glacier Ridge Sports Park during the health crisis.

Dick Howard and Michael Lewis both discussed the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on world soccer and on their home cities of Toronto and New York. Dick also commented on UEFA's meeting on Tuesday where the fate of the domestic leagues, Champions league, Europa League and Euro 2020 will be decided, Liverpool being eliminated from the Champions League and Montreal losing to Olimpia 2-1 at home in the CONCACAF Champions League QF Leg 1.

Michael also discussed US Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro resigning abruptly on Thursday, former US International and World Champion Cindy Parlow-Cone becoming the first female president of US Soccer and what Parlow-Cone has to do to right the ship at US Soccer.

Our special guest was Rochester Lancers captain and man of the match in the team’s 1^st win of the season, 9-7 over Kansas City, Gary Boughton! Gary talked about his career that is ending after this season, his time playing for the Lancers, how important the win on Saturday was and what he will be doing in soccer moving forward.

Dick Howard and Michael Lewis broke the news about Italy cancelling all sporting events until April 3, including all Serie A matches, and the US pro sports teams not allowing reporters into the locker rooms for the foreseeable future. Dick and Michael also discussed the impact the virus is having on all soccer around the world, including UEFA and CONCACAF Champions League matches this week, the US and Canadian Women’s National teams playing in important pre-Olympic tournaments and the latest results from MLS and the European leagues.

The entire show was a tribute to former NASL Rochester Lancers star Ibraim Silva, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 65 in his native Portugal. Silva scored the most memorable goal in Lancers history in the 1977 NASL playoffs in Toronto when the Lancers played down 2 men for 70 minutes and won 1-0 after being out shot 34-1. Joining us to remember Ibraim was the Chairman of the Board of the NASL Lancers, Charlie Schiano, and his coach with the Lancers, Don Popovic. Dick Howard, Michael Lewis, Joe Sirianni and Andrew Battisti all recalled Ibraim Silva the player and the man during the show. RIP Ibraim

Our special guest was Rochester Lancers keeper Brian Wilkin who talked about the Lancers improved play in their 3 matches over the weekend, including the overtime loss to Baltimore, the emergency surgery he needed to remove chicken stuck in his esophagus recently and the important match at Baltimore on Saturday.

We previewed the next knockout stage matches in the UEFA Champions League and the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League round of 16 with Dick Howard and Michael Lewis.

Dick also discussed Liverpool's come from behind win over West Ham in the EPL, the Coronavirus impacting matches in Italy and the start of MLS for the 3 Canadian teams this weekend.

Michael also talked about the start of the MLS season this weekend, specifically how Inter Miami and Nashville SC will to in their initial MLS outings, the Red Bulls opening against FC Cincinnati on Sunday and other notable changes to MLS for 2020.

We previewed the 1st knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League and the CONCACAF Champions League with Dick Howard and Michael Lewis of www.frontrowsoccer.com.

Dick also discussed the controversy in the Chelsea/Manchester United match on Monday, Lazio moving into second in Serie A, Liverpool continuing to win and the big matches in the EPL this weekend.

Michael talked about the start of the MLS season next weekend, Inter Miami signing Mexican International Rodolfo Pizzaro, FC Cincinnati coach Ron Jans stepping away due to alleged racial slurs, NISA being recognized as an official D3 league in the US and the roster for the USWNT in the She Believes Cup being announced.

Our special guest was Rochester Lancers owner Salvatore "Soccer Sam" Fantauzzo, who spoke on the Lancers being 3rd in the MASL in attendance, the Lancers improved play in their 2 defeats this past weekend, the big match in Saturday at 1st place Florida and his article talking about what the Lancers Indoor Wall of Fame "20 in 20" inductees mean to him. Click here to read the article:

Dick Howard discussed Canada qualifying for the Women's Olympic soccer tournament, Ottawa joining the Canadian Premiership, the change at the top of Serie A, the close race in the Bundesliga, the big matches this weekend and Pele's health problems.

Michael Lewis of www.frontrowsoccer.com talked about the USWNT winning the Olympic qualifying tournament with a perfect record, a potential new home for NYCFC and Bradley Wright Phillips moving to LAFC from the Red Bulls.

Our special guest was Rochester Lancers forward Frankie Ciliberto, who talked about his father and sisters playing soccer in college and his dad bring a pro with the old Rochester Flash, how he lost a year of playing soccer in college due to injury, his job outside of the Lancers, scoring a goal of the year with a volleyed bicycle kick against St. Louis on Saturday and the upcoming matches against Baltimore and Utica this weekend.

Dick Howard was back and from the UK and discussed Christine Sinclair becoming the all-time scorer in international soccer, Liverpool leading the EPL by a record 22 points and playing their U23 team in the FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury on Tuesday, the EPL taking a winter break for the first time this year and the critical matches in the Bundesliga this weekend between the top teams.

Michael Lewis of www.frontrowsoccer.com talked about the USWNT playing in Olympic qualifying this week, the USMNT beating Costa Rica 1-0, the lingering injury to Christian Pulisic and the release of 25th anniversary kits by MLS this week.

Our special guests were 2 members of the new Rochester Lancers Indoor Walk of Fame:

The trainer of the Rochester Lancers and formerly the Rochester Rhinos, Dave DiPasquale, who talked about how he started as a trainer, the relationship between the athletes and their trainer and what is really in "The Magic Spray".

The head coach of the Lancers and former indoor MVP, Doug Miller, who talked about being inducted into the Wall of Fame with his wife Kari, the choreographer of the Lancer Dancers, the Lancers matches over the weekend, losses to Milwaukee 15-4 and Kansas City 12-4 and the improvement the team is showing over these last few matches.

Michael Lewis of www.frontrowsoccer.com (another Indoor Wall of Fame inductee) talked about his series in Front Row Soccer this week about the history of Lancers indoor soccer going back to 1971, the US Women's National Team in Olympic qualifying and the US Men facing Costa Rica on Sunday.

Joe and Andrew also paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant and discussed his love for world soccer.

Our special guests were 2 members of the new Rochester Lancers Indoor Walk of Fame:

The President of Operations for the Lancers and Salvatore's Old Fashioned Pizzeria, Ashley Maria King Solomianko, who talked about her role with the franchise, her background in soccer (including her grandfather's history in Rochester soccer) and what she enjoys most about the Lancers matchday experience.

The PA Announcer for Rochester pro sports, Rocky Perrotta, who discussed how he became a PA announcer, his reaction to being named to the Wall of Fame and how he balances his day job at a large bank with his PA duties.

Michael Lewis of www.frontrowsoccer.com (dual Indoor/Outdoor Wall of Fame inductee) talked about Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez coming to the LA Galaxy, Brian McBride being named GM of the US Men's National Team and the upcoming US Women's National Team Olympic qualifiers and the She Believes Cup.

Our special guest was Rochester Lancers play-by-play announcer and original Soccer is a Kick in the Grass co-host Joe Giuliano, who spoke on being one of the 20 initial inductees into the lancers Indoor Walk of Fame, his favorite memories of the indoor Lancers and his thoughts on the 2020 season.

Dick Howard reviewed Monday’s matches in Serie A and the weekend’s tFA Cup ties in England, plus gave a preview of the 4^th round FA Cup matchups and the mig matches this coming weekend in England and Italy.

Michael Lewis of www.frontrowsoccer.com talked about Jill Ellis and Lincoln Phillips receiving the Walt Chyzowych Lifetime Achievement Award, Crystal Dunn being named Front Row Soccer’s personality of the year, Laura Harvey named as new coach of the US U-20 Women, NYCFC’s new manager Ronny Deila and the USMNT moving the January training camp from Doha, Qatar to Florida.