The Mane Land PawedCast

Let's just say we covered our bases this week. When recording Episode 523 of The Mane Land PawedCast Monday night, we knew there was a pretty good chance that Tuesday things would change. As such, we recorded a shorter supplemental episode of the PawedCast to discuss the signing of Atletico Madrid attacking midfielder/forward Antoine Griezmann as a Designated Player, with the legendary French international set to join Orlando City in July. No mailbagbox. No other discussion. Just 20+ minutes of us discussing a historic signing for the club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lions tried to back up their first win of the season with another win, but instead what Orlando City backed up the win over Montreal with was a soul-crushing defeat in what might have been the team's worst performance since we were still in the 2010s. The 5-0 loss to Nashville SC could have been even worse. We chose to go the sandwich route and stuck the bad news about the match in between good news. The show started a discussion about the Lions who will represent their countries in this international window. We then spent too many minutes (regardless of how many it was, it was too many) on Orlando City's loss at Nashville. That included looking back at our score predictions and selecting our Man of the Match via the process of elimination. After the match rewind, we turned to Antoine Griezmann's trip to Orlando and a Designated Player signing that could happen today (possibly even before this post goes live). We discuss what Orlando City would be getting and why it doesn't matter that he's an attacking player when the team obviously needs to be better on the defensive end. If nothing else, a Griezmann signing should encourage more people to put things they want to happen out into the universe, because you never know what might be manifested from it. Our mailbagbox had questions about disappointing Orlando City position groups, Apple TV shows, Braian Ojeda's play so far, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. After the mailbagbox, we had to dive into Sunday's insane match between OCB and Inter Miami II. We often joke about "Drunk OCB" but perhaps no match for the Young Lions was more drunk than Sunday's. It included OCB conceding twice inside the first five minutes, trailing by three goals in the second half, three misses with the goalkeeper out of the play, two Miami goalkeepers leaving the match with injuries and an outfield player going into the visitors' net, an Olimpico, 13 minutes of stoppage time, and a penalty shootout. It was one of the wildest 4-4 draws we've ever seen, and the Young Lions grabbed a second point in penalties. There's no games for the senior or reserve teams this weekend due to the international break, so enjoy not getting your heart ripped out by your soccer club for a few more days. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 523 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City got spanked, international Lions, and it sure looks like Antoine Griezmann is signing soon. 31:43 – Our mailbagbox is a helpful distraction from a heavy loss. 52:07 – An incredible OCB game that could have been a lopsided win for either team but instead was a high-scoring draw. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So that's what a win feels like. It has been a minute. The Lions could have folded tents and packed it in, but instead they played inspired, energetic (if imperfect) soccer for 90 minutes, winning 2-1 at home Saturday against CF Montreal. Ivan Angulo scored neither goal but factored heavily in both as the catalyst on a night when effort meant everything. Martin Perelman got his first win as interim coach, and it felt like some demons were exorcized at Inter&Co Stadium, but time will tell if it lasts with some difficult matches coming up. We looked back at Orlando City's first win of the 2026 season, checked our score predictions, and made our selections for Man of the Match. Our mailbagbox asked some rather pessimistic questions, what it would take for Perelman to move into the head coaching gig on a permanent basis, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. After the mailbagbox, we break down Orlando City B's wild comeback win on the road at Carolina Core. The Young Lions brought "drunk OCB" back in a big way, erasing a 2-0 deficit in the game's final half hour and snatching away all three points at the death. And they did that without a lot of their regular players, who were on the MLS team's bench. Finally, we looked ahead to Saturday's mammoth task of beating Nashville SC on the road. If you want to find Saturday's hosts, they're right up near the very top of the Eastern Conference table. We looked at their top threats, provided our key matchups of the game, and made our final score predictions. It's probably not going to go as well as the Montreal game did, but we're here for it if it does. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 522 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City is winless no more after a solid performance against CF Montreal. 20:35 – Our mailbagbox is a lot more full after a win. 37:38 – OCB completed a wild comeback win at Carolina Core and the senior Lions are off to face Nashville SC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hits just keep on coming early in this 2026 MLS season as Orlando City has parted ways with the club's winningest coach and one of the league's best managers over the years. Oscar Pareja's time in charge of the Lions lasted six years and just three games into a seventh. But his departure isn't the only critical one this week for the club. We open the show with a brief discussion of club founder Kay Rawlins, who begins her retirement today after helping establish Orlando City SC from the remnants of the old USL Austin Aztex. She also helped Phil Rawlins build a soccer culture in Orlando, culminating in the club being awarded an MLS franchise. The team put tens of thousands in the old Citrus Bowl/Camping World Stadium in 2015 and 2016 and then introduced a beautiful, brand-new soccer-specific stadium to Orlando's skyline in 2017. It's fair to say Kay Rawlins was also the heart of the organization, as few people have done more for the club's integration into the community, and she was absolutely instrumental in bringing an NWSL side to the City Beautiful. Kay will be missed in the front office, but she's earned her retirement, and you can look for her in the stands. Our mailbagbox wanted to know about coaching options, and we tabled our answer until the second part of the show, but we did eventually get there. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. We had a spirited discussion of Pareja's time in Orlando, the manner in which he leaves his position, and whether anyone could have won with the cards he'd been dealt in the first few matches of this season or even some of what he had to put up with in 2025. We also talked about Ricardo Moreira placing his own rear end on the hot seat now that there isn't a coaching scapegoat still hanging around, and we discussed what Moreira said about the next coaching hire and the style of play of the team. Oh, and we throw out a few names to answer that mailbagbox question. Finally, we adjusted our score predictions for Saturday's match against CF Montreal. While Dave only changed his score, I changed my result and I predict a couple more goals to be scored. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 521 went down: 0:15 – The heart of Orlando City is leaving as Kay Rawlins bids goodbye to the club she helped build. 4:32 – Oscar's exit from as many angles as we had time to cover and our mailbagbox question asked about potential replacements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If last week's second-half performance against Inter Miami seemed like a low point, it wasn't. Orlando City was just getting started. After shipping four goals in the second half and blowing a 2-0 lead at home against the Herons, the Lions saw goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau get sent off early and got put on full blast by New York City FC. The 5-0 loss wasn't even as close as the score indicated, and although the game was ruined early, the response to the circumstances was disappointing. We mostly complain about a performance that had just about no redeeming qualities, discuss the ripple effect on the club's goalkeepers, check on our score predictions, and somehow come up with a Man of the Match. Our mailbagbox asked us to ban something from the game and wanted to know which Lion will fail to play a full 90 before another Lion. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. Orlando City B gave us something to smile about at least, as the Young Lions bounced back from an opening day loss to beat Chicago Fire II 2-1 at home Sunday night. Justin Ellis scored the game winner and that will hopefully unlock his offense, which has been a bit stagnant for a minute. It was good to see OCB get the win, but there are concerns with the MLS NEXT Pro side's center back situation as well. Finally, we look ahead to the return of Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, as CF Montreal visits Orlando Saturday night. We look at the series history between the sides, provide our key matchups for the game, and make identical score predictions. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 520 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City was not good, and the not-good parts were ignited by a Mad Max moment. 17:16 – The mailbagbox is a temporary salve on our wounds. 24:42 - OCB wins its first game of 2026 and the senior Lions brace for Impact (see what I did there?) with Montreal coming to town. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's hard to stay positive when losses start stringing together, especially when those losses are coming at home in front of sellout crowds. Orlando City held its first lead of the season, taking a 2-0 advantage into halftime after an excellent opening 45 minutes against rival Inter Miami. However, that didn't last, and many bad things happened in the second half and sometimes evil triumphs over good, and stuff. We break down the negatives and the positives of the Lions' 4-2 home loss to Miami on Sunday, check back on our score predictions, and make our selections for Man of the Match. The young players look like they can play, but consistency is critically lacking right now. Our mailbagbox asked us to bet on the number of players who will get at least a minute on the back line this season, and we hope it's not more than last year. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. After we get sidetracked narrating Monday night's OCB game, as we recorded while it was on, we turn our attention to a Saturday matinee match at Yankee Stadium against New York City FC. We know the venue sucks for soccer and the Lions have historically been poor there, but Orlando City desperately needs to try to at least bring home a point to stop the bleeding. We look back at the series history, discuss some of the important players for the Pigeons, present our key matchups for the game, and make another futile attempt to predict the final score. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 519 went down: 0:15 – The Lions held a multi-goal lead...until they didn't. 28:26 – The mailbagbox is short and sweet and concerned with the back line. 40:38 - Orlando City hits the road for the first time in 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The regular season is here, the Lions have their in-state rivals coming up on the schedule this weekend, and Antoine Griezmann may come to Orlando...wait, what? We start this episode with the report from Tom Bogert that Orlando City is pursuing Atletico Madrid star attacking midfielder/forward and French international Griezmann for the club's third Designated Player slot. This is something we put out into the universe a few years ago with no expectation that anything would ever happen. It's entirely possible nothing ever does happen, but it's astounding that credible soccer writers are even talking about it. We know Ricardo Moreira was just going along with us when we asked him to sign Griezmann, but it's still been amazing to parlay our longtime running gag into a potential bit of historic club news. Our discussion revolves around staying grounded amid the current reports, how exciting it would be to have an attacker of his quality if Griezmann were to sign, and how a potential signing puts us on the hot seat if he doesn't perform. Thanks to everyone who reached out to us after hearing the news. After diving into the surrealism that my dumb gag could actually take place, we turn to a less pleasant topic: Orlando City's 2-1 home loss to the New York Red Bulls in Saturday's 2026 season opener. The Lions started the match horribly, with the exception of Maxime Crepeau's shot stopping. Although the second half was much better after a couple of substitutions and a tactical change, the Lions had an equally difficult time beating Ethan Horvath, who was outstanding in the New York goal. Ultimately, Tiago's first MLS goal came too late to change the game, but at least Orlando fans can take heart in the team's fight and the Lions can perhaps take some momentum from the second 45 minutes. We discuss all the key moments, players, and plays from the game, check on our score predictions, and select our Orlando City Man of the Match. The latter was an easy choice. Our mailbagbox asked about our reactions to the Griezmann reports, how to rank the future minutes of the bench players Saturday who didn't get on the field, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. Finally, we wrap up the show with a look ahead to Sunday's Tropic Thunder rivalry match with Inter Miami. The Herons were blasted at LAFC over the weekend and Lionel Messi escaped punishment for his petulant pursuit of the match officials after the game as his teammates tried to hold him back. Might Messi try to take his frustrations out on the Lions Sunday in Orlando? Well, he has yet to step foot on the Inter&Co Stadium pitch for a league game since arriving in MLS, but...maybe. Will fans run onto the field like idiots if he plays? Possibly. We present our key matchups to the game and try to predict the final score. We were in lockstep on both topics. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 518 went down: 0:15 – Antoine Griezmann in Orlando? I'll believe it when I get the club's press release with photos of the Frenchman with his purple kit. Still...it's nice that it's even being discussed. Oh, and Orlando City played a match against the Red Bulls. 37:55 – The mailbagbox is fun and seems to genuinely want me to be happy. 54:26 - The first round of Tropic Thunder 2026 looms on Sunday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The preseason is behind us and the time has come for the games to matter. That is usually heralded with a great deal of excitement from fans, but the final preseason game the Lions played against Colorado may have instilled a bit more apprehension than hope. We open this week's show with thoughts about Saturday's preseason loss to the Rapids from the lineup, to the inexperienced bench, to Ivan Angulo as a fullback, to the back line problems, to Eduard Atuesta's magical free kick goal, and so on. Orlando City may have lost a lopsided game on the scoreboard, but the Rapids simply paid off the few chances they generated, while the Lions controlled the play of the match but could not find the same success at the final moment that Colorado found. I also gave some thoughts on the discussions we had postgame with Marco Pasalic, Eduard Atuesta, and Oscar Pareja. The players didn't seem any less confident or show any less belief in the team after the loss, handling it as you'd expect from veteran professionals. Pareja was candid about the need for improvement and the challenge of letting Iago play while he's still learning the Orlando City system and the expectations of his teammates. We also provided an update on some of the injured Lions who did not make the match day squad on Saturday. Our mailbagbox asked about potential changes to the starting lineup, which player's jersey to buy, who would play us in a biopic about this podcast, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. Finally, we wrap up the show with a brief discussion of Saturday's opening night matchup against the New York Red Bulls. There's not a lot to go on after preseason, but we do manage to unanimously give our key matchup of the game and we try our hand at score predictions. It's never an easy thing to do in the first game of the season. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 517 went down: 0:15 – The Lions got battered on the scoreboard, but the game didn't play out as badly as all that. Still, Orlando City has work to do and is dreadfully thin. 27:42 – The mailbagbox shows we've got decent overall taste in player jerseys and unrealistic expectations about who should play us in a movie about us. 50:25 - The Red Bulls are visiting on Saturday. Can the Lions handle them? We try to prognosticate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a month since our last episode of this show, and Orlando City's preseason is winding down. The Lions will start their 2026 regular season in less than two weeks, and there seem to be a lot more questions this year as opening day approaches. We start this show with some of the bad news, beginning with the sale of Alex Freeman to Villarreal in Spain's La Liga. While we're happy Alex is chasing his soccer dreams, it's a bitter pill to swallow getting only one season out of a kid we've watched grow up with OCB and blossom over the course of one fantastic MLS season. Speaking of bitter pills...Facundo Torres is back — but not with Orlando. Torres will play for Austin FC just a year after leaving the Lions to return to South America to play in Brazil. Sticking with the bad news theme, we discuss Robin Jansson's foot surgery and when we might see him back on the pitch. Not only do the Lions need their captain, but there's precious little top flight experience at the center back position, especially with the signing of Dusan Stojinovic falling through due to a failed medical. We discuss the problems with depth along the defense and what Orlando might be doing about it. It is not what we would do about it. But it isn't all bad news. There is plenty of good news in the preseason as well, and we start that with a discussion of Orlando City re-signing Martin Ojeda through the 2028-2029 season. Ojeda is one of the league's more humble and likeable star players, and we hope he's building his professional legacy here in the City Beautiful. Additionally, the Lions signed first-round 2026 MLS SuperDraft picks Harvey Sarajian and Nolan Miller. If both players end up having decent careers, this year's draft will be one to remember for City fans. But there was another big signing as well. Brazilian center back Iago joins Orlando City on an MLS U22 Initiative deal, and it looks like he'll be pressed into service sooner rather than later. Finally, we discuss some of the best news of all: Wilder Cartagena and Yutaro Tsukada have both been participating fully in preseason after suffering season-ending injuries during the 2025 preseason. It's great to see them back on the pitch and they'll hopefully be able to contribute throughout the 2026 season. Our mailbagbox asked us to rank potential Polish international signings, pick our (and Oscar Pareja's) Orlando City midfield starters, and run through the depth chart. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. Following our mailbagbox, we discussed the club's new Sunken Treasure kits. The Lions will be adorned in gold for the first time and we like the look. We break down some of the features about the kits and some of the things that we're not as happy with. Overall, it's another solid design for OCSC. We wrap up with a brief discussion of the 2026 OCB schedule release and what to expect from the Young Lions' MLS NEXT Pro opponents this year. There was also another one of our patented digressions in the middle of that, but you expected it, right? Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 516 went down: 0:15 – We've got some bad news, Orlando City fans, and we've got some good news. We start with the bad so we could end on a high note. 35:43 – The mailbagbox is still trying to sign Polish internationals and is interested in the midfield. 55:19 - The Sunken Treasure kits and OCB's 2026 slate is out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City has gathered for preseason camp ahead of the 2026 season, and we're still here to talk about it. How long that continues to be the case may unknown at this point, but we're trending in the right direction, so if that continues, you're stuck with us for a while longer. The Lions have had various comings and goings since our last show, and we discuss the movement in and out of the roster. We thought Carlos Coronel was going to be the new Orlando City starter in goal, but he fled to Brazil, so we welcome Canadian international Maxime Crepeau to the City Beautiful. It's not as splashy an addition, but it could be just as effective a roster move if he can regain his form from his Vancouver and LAFC days. We also discussed the additions of Tiago, Luis Otavio, and Braian Ojeda. On the other hand, departures took place as well, such as Nico Rodriguez being loaned to Atletico Nacional and the reports that Luis Muriel may be finalizing a deal to move on. We chatted about what those moves mean in the grand scheme of things. Kyle Smith went home and we are glad he's still playing but sad to see him in another team's uniform. The preseason schedule was a bit underwhelming, but we ran through it quickly. Our mailbagbox was a little light, and it proved to us how little we know about the Polish national team. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. Finally, we talked a bit about the recent moves OCB has made, including the addition of a Brazilian striker. Former OCB forward Shak Mohammed is off to Nashville, while OCB/OCSC left wing Yutaro Tsukada showed up to preseason camp with a wedding ring. Congrats to Yutaro! Note: we are now in our off-season podcast schedule, which is guaranteed to give you at least one episode per month but we will only be weekly if/when news warrants it. We'll also return for at least one more show to say goodbye if things don't work out for us to continue, but we are hoping it doesn't come to that! Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 515 went down: 0:15 – An update on our staffing crisis is more hopeful than the last one, and we go through the various arrivals and departures. 30:16 – The mailbagbox seeks help for Orlando City from Poland and wants to know which position we'd least like to see the club make a Designated Player signing. 41:52 - OCB news, a new home for Shak, and Tsukada ties the knot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a few weeks since we last shipped a factory-fresh episode of the PawedCast, but we're back to drop off this audio present that discusses the news that's happened since early in the month. However, we start with an update on The Mane Land's current situation with regard to whether or not we are going to be able to continue service in 2026. Right now, we're remaining optimistic amidst several people offering to help out. We're going through some "practice recaps" from prospective writers and trying to determine who can help us on the editing side. We would love to keep going, but we are spread far too thin to carry on as we have in the past. If you want to get involved, here's what we're talking about and what to do if you're in a position to help. After our update, we discuss some difficult departures, as veteran defenders Rodrigo Schlegel and Kyle Smith have both left the club. Schlegel will always own one of the most iconic moments in Orlando City history, and we will miss the Lions' agent of chaos. Smith was a good soldier (sorry, soldado), and we'll miss his hustle, determination, and willingness to do whatever it takes to help the club. We also touched upon the fact that the Lions will be playing in three competitions next season, with entry in both the U.S. Open Cup and the Leagues Cup to go along with their MLS participation. We rank the order of importance and you will not be surprised at our rankings. Players didn't just leave Orlando City. Some arrived, too. We discuss the Lions' 2026 MLS SuperDraft haul and the way they spent their plethora of first-round picks. We also welcome MLS U22 Initiative player Tiago from Brazil ahead of the 2026 season. Additionally, we tell you who is pretty much done with the exception of the official announcements. OCB also released some news, with Head Coach Manuel Goldberg getting his option picked up for 2026 and midfielder Justin Hylton signing a two-year MLS NEXT Pro deal with the Young Lions. Finally, our mailbagbox was extremely full and featured a trivia mini-marathon. You'll be able to see how your guesses stack up against ours. We also had a fun question about a missing remote and a horrifying hypothetical. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. Note: we are now in our off-season podcast schedule, which is guaranteed to give you at least one episode per month but we will only be weekly if/when news warrants it. We'll also return for at least one more show to say goodbye if things don't work out for us to continue, but we are hoping it doesn't come to that! Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 514 went down: 0:15 – A word about our future and while we're staying optimistic about getting the help we need, we are by no means out of danger. Plus, more bad news as we say goodbye to a few Lions. 28:24 – The good news is who is arriving, who might be arriving soon, and OCB happenings. 40:45 - A full mailbagbox leaves us as satisfied as a big Christmas dinner. Happy holidays to you all and thank you for your support all year long (and in years past)! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're checking in early this December, although it probably won't be our only show of the month. Alex Freeman keeps giving us stuff to talk about. The young fullback dazzled the crowd in Tampa with his brace against Uruguay for the U.S. Men's National Team. That performance made him Man of the Match, but it was just one aspect of a great year that got him named as a finalist for U.S. Male Player of the Year. The competition is tough, but Orlando City's Homegrown defender has a good shot at bringing home even more hardware in a magical 2025. We also discussed the Luis Otavio rumors as the 18-year-old central midfielder is reportedly finalizing an MLS U22 Initiative deal to join the Lions for the 2026 season. We're watching with great interest after Cesar Araujo's departure. Our mailbagbox asked how contracts are going to work with the change to a fall/spring MLS calendar and which Lions and dishes we want at our Thanksgiving feast. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. After the mailbagbox, we discussed Robin Jansson re-signing with the Lions through 2027. The captain is back, and it sounds like he helped restructure his deal in a way that will help the club conduct the off-season business Ricardo Moreira wants to complete. Always the team player, our captain. Finally, we looked at Orlando City's 2026 MLS schedule. The Lions start and finish at home, must play Atlanta on short rest twice, and will face San Diego FC for the first time. Note: we are now in our off-season podcast schedule, which is guaranteed to give you at least one episode per month but we will only be weekly if/when news warrants it. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 513 went down: 0:15 – Alex Freeman is a finalist for U.S. Male Player of the Year on the heels of his brace against Uruguay in Tampa, and Luis Otavio may be on his way to Orlando. 13:31 – The mailbagbox is seasonal this time out! 26:05 - Robin Jansson is staying in Orlando and the 2026 schedule is out early. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our off-season schedule isn't exactly going as planned, as we continue not being able to take a week off. This week, we're back once again as happenings with the club keep on...well, happening. We start this episode with a discussion of Orlando City's central midfield. Wilder Cartagena is returning to it in 2026, but Cesar Araujo is not. We look back at our predictions for those two players' futures with the club and talk about how Cartagena's return to form could be a big boost to the Lions next season. This week's mailbagbox asked about Major League Soccer's switch to a European soccer calendar, the number of current Lions under contract who will start on opening day in 2026, what we thought of the most recent season of Slow Horses, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. After the mailbagbox, we discussed Orlando City's 2025 end-of-season roster update. There weren't any big surprises, but there were one or two mild ones. We discuss every player's contract status and compare that to our predictions from our annual stays/goes segment. We did pretty well, but it's not that difficult when you know the contract situations. The old days, when contract lengths were secrets, were a crapshoot Note: we are now in our off-season podcast schedule, which is guaranteed to give you at least one episode per month but we will only be weekly if/when news warrants it. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 512 went down: 0:15 – A young Uruguayan midfielder leaves, but a veteran Peruvian midfielder can fill his shoes, provided he can come back from an Achilles injury. 9:25 – The mailbagbox fills our hearts with joy by letting us talk about Gary Oldman portraying Jackson Lamb. 26:18 - Orlando City roster decisions! Hey, we need a keeper. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We may be in our off-season schedule here on The Mane Land PawedCast, but as promised, we are back when there is news, so here we are. For this episode, we open with a discussion of Alex Freeman's year-end awards, with the 21-year-old fullback picking up MLS Young Player of the Year and becoming the first Lion to grace the MLS Best XI. It's been a phenomenal breakout season for Freeman, who was also just recently called up again by the USMNT, so Orlando fans can hop on I-4 and go see him play in Tampa later this month. After our Freeman discussion, we chatted about the Lions who were called up for the November FIFA window, including four players at the youth level. There was a time not long abo when Orlando City academy players weren't getting a sniff by the youth national teams, but those days are in the past. Congrats to Tahir Reid-Brown, Justin Ellis, Colin Guske, and Jacob Ramirez. David Brekalo and Tyrese Spicer will also be with their national teams in the upcoming window. This week's mailbagbox asked about whether Michael Halliday should get another look from Orlando after being let go by Houston, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. Finally, we discussed Pedro Gallese's departure from Orlando City. El Pulpo was one of the faces of the franchise for the past six seasons and it's hard to imagine anyone else being the No. 1 for the Lions, but that's the new reality. In addition to reminiscing about Gallese's play, we talked about how he's almost certainly going to have his name in the Legends Terrace in the future, and we pontificated about where he'll turn up next. We also discussed Orlando City being at a crossroads on the backend, as the team not only needs to replace Gallese, but Rodrigo Schlegel and a pair of defensive midfielders are out of contract, Robin Jansson has an option year remaining, and so does Eduard Atuesta. Plus, Freeman will be courted by European teams, so the back half of the lineup could look extremely different in 2026. Note: we are now in our off-season podcast schedule, which is guaranteed to give you at least one episode per month but we will only be weekly if/when news warrants it. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 511 went down: 0:15 – Alex Freeman broke out in just about every way imaginable: MLS All-Star, MLS Best XI, Young Player of the Year, and now getting regular call-ups by the USMNT. Deservedly so. 14:52 – You get a guest voice in this week's mailbagbox! 29:38 - We will miss your time-wasting antics and your spectacular saves, El Pulpo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lions crashed out of the playoffs hard, as the Chicago Fire torched Orlando City's defense in a 3-1 loss that could have been much more lopsided than that. Tyrese Spicer kept the Lions from getting shut out, but goals and wins down the stretch were hard to come by for OCSC, and having a clean slate as the postseason started did nothing to change that. We discussed Orlando's brief stay in the playoffs, checked on our score predictions, and made our selections for Man of the Match. The club also dropped a bombshell on Monday with the announcement that Luiz Muzzi is leaving the club. Muzzi is the architect that constructed Orlando City squads that reached six consecutive postseasons and won the club's first trophy in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup. We discuss Muzzi's exit and the job that Ricardo Moreira must now do to get the team to the next level. This week's mailbagbox asked about changes in the game we'd like to see, which player we'd be most surprised to see start on opening day 2026, returning Designated Players, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. Finally, we went through the Orlando City rosters and discussed whether we think each player will stay or go this off-season in our annual stays/goes segment. As an added wrinkle, this year we included whether we would prefer if they stay or go. Note: we are now in our off-season podcast schedule, which is guaranteed to give you at least one episode per month but we will only be weekly if/when news warrants it. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 510 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City is out of the playoffs after a poor performance at Chicago. We provide your playoff autopsy and look at Luiz Muzzi's Orlando's exit. 19:56 – The mailbagbox is chock full this week and there's an underlying (sometimes overlying) sense of frustration. 35:35 - It's our annual stays/goes segment. Walk through the roster with us and help us build next year's team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lions had a lot to play for on Saturday but forgot to do so. Orlando City's trip to Toronto hopefully led to some cool sightseeing in Canada, because it didn't produce any points. As a result — and other results elsewhere — the club has to go to Chicago for the wild card game instead of facing a first-round, best-of-three series. We reluctantly look back at a game that started poorly, could have changed significantly if two major calls hadn't gone the way of the hosts, and the complete capitulation despite Orlando firing 31 shots toward Sean Johnson's net. We discussed the game longer than it deserved, looked back at our hilariously wrong score predictions, and made our selections for Man of the Match. One of us persuaded the other to change his pick, which rarely happens. This week's mailbagbox asked us about Orlando City's many draws this season, non-alcoholic beer recommendations, how much we'd sell Marco Pasalic for, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. Finally, Orlando City must play a midweek game against the Chicago Fire on the road to advance to the first round of the MLS playoffs. The Lions are not in a great position and are dealing with some key absences, but at least they get to start over with a clean slate now. We looked back at the season series with Chicago, the all-time series against the Fire, and compare the teams. We also provide our key matchups and make our (pessimistic) score predictions. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 509 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City did not seem prepared to take on a middling Toronto FC team on the road on Decision Day despite the Lions having much more to play for hanging in the balance. Now the Lions will have an even more uphill climb in the postseason, traveling for a wild card game. 25:52 – The mailbagbox isn't sure which of Orlando City's draws was the most frustrating. 39:31 - Orlando City's postseason could be a short one, as the Lions visit the Windy City to take on a dangerous Chicago Fire attack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lions entered Saturday's matchup against Vancouver missing a lot of bodies, including half the starting back line. Then things got worse when starting center back and team captain Robin Jansson suffered a nasty-looking injury early in the game. Despite all that, the Lions took the lead through Dagur Dan Thorhallsson's well-taken goal. Although the Whitecaps dominated possession and smothered Orlando whenever the Lions had the ball, the lads in purple were just minutes away from a gigantic three points. But Kyle Smith smashed a clearance off a Whitecap and into his own net to tie the game late, and Vancouver's big signing scored in the seventh of five added minutes to take all the points from Orlando. After seeing the good side of the Cardiac Cats in recent weeks, the game was a reminder that the bad Cardiac Cats are also out there lurking. We tried not to dwell too much on a gut punch of a game in our recap, checked our score predictions, and made our selections for Man of the Match. This week's mailbagbox asked us about Saturday's center back pairing and pizza toppings — in completely separate questions. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. Finally, Orlando City will have to try once more to score more than one goal in a game as the Lions visit BMO Field in Toronto Saturday for a Decision Day match against the Reds of Toronto FC. We look back at the series history, discuss the relative performances of the two clubs, provide our key matchups, and make our predictions for the final score on Saturday. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 508 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City was nine minutes plus stoppage from an improbable but much-needed win. Then a dumb thing happened. And then a bad thing happened. 22:57 – The mailbagbox is succinct this week but still quite fun. 30:53 - The Lions travel north of the border for a Decision Day match against Toronto FC. Orlando needs three points to safely avoid the wild card game, but the Reds have been drawing almost everyone lately. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lions fell behind in the first half, but struck back immediately against the Columbus Crew on Saturday. However, neither side could dent the twine in the back of the net afterwards, despite each club getting some quality looks at goal. Marco Pasalic's goal broke a dry spell for him and secured a point for Orlando City, allowing the lads in purple to stay above the dreaded play-in wild card game — at least for the moment. We look back at the key moments, players, and plays of a home game with some squandered chances to claim all three points. We also check our score predictions, and make our selections for Man of the Match. This week's mailbagbox asked us about Orlando City's back four, the Eastern time zone, beers, hikes, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. OCB needed to win on Decision Day to get into the playoffs given other results around MLS NEXT Pro. However, the Young Lions played poorly, got throttled, and instead allowed visiting FC Cincinnati 2 to get into the postseason. OCB's streak of playoff appearances was snapped at two, and the Young Lions are done for 2025 after a rough second half of the season. Finally, Orlando City will be missing a plethora of key players against a Vancouver Whitecaps side looking to finish atop the Western Conference. The Whitecaps will mostly be intact during this international window, while the Lions will be thin. That said, you've got to play who is in front of you, and that deep run in Leagues Cup ended up preventing Orlando City from playing Vancouver outside the international window with a more full-strength squad. We give you the series history against the Whitecaps, compare the two teams, provide our key matchups for Saturday night, and make our score predictions. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 507 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City wasted too many good transition chances and it was costly against Columbus — as was a bad-looking injury to Joran Gerbet. 21:30 – The mailbagbox pleads with us to help convince a listener's spouse of something. 36:05 - OCB went gently into that goodnight on Decision Day, and the senior Lions (or what's left of them) will brace themselves for one of the best Vancouver teams in years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City left it late again. Tyrese Spicer reprised his role from the Nashville game by providing the assist for a goal late in stoppage time, but this time it was a different goal scorer and a road draw instead of a home win. Alex Freeman played great against FC Cincinnati, so it was fitting that he literally pulled a point out of thin air on a Sunday night that saw the Lions squander numerous good opportunities to score while allowing the hosts only one Kevin Denkey strike. We look back at the key moments, players, and plays of a critical road match, check our score predictions, and make our selections for Man of the Match, splitting the vote This week's mailbagbox asked us a pair of trivia questions and added an individual question for each host. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. OCB got two points at Carolina Core FC when it needed three, but it did enough to stay alive in the postseason race but there is no margin for error. The Young Lions fell behind by two goals, battled back to get level, conceded again, and once again equalized on the road. Carlos Mercado then helped his team win the penalty shootout on his birthday to claim the extra point. OCB must beat FC Cincinnati 2 on Sunday at home and get help to reach the postseason. Finally, Orlando City returns home with another game against a good team from the Buckeye State, as the Columbus Crew visits Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday. Whether Diego Rossi plays or not, the Crew are always a difficult opponent. We break down the series history, look at the battle ahead, provide our key matchups, and make our predictions for the final score. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 506 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City didn't seem to want to put the ball in the net, but maybe that's because it wasn't yet the death of stoppage time. Earlier goals are OK too, guys! 27:55 – The mailbagbox offers trivia, but no prizes if we get them right. 39:11 - OCB was listening to Meat Loaf and thinking two out of three ain't bad, and the senior Lions prepare for Columbus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City made up for drawing at D.C. United by getting an important win over Nashville SC, one of the team's chief competitors for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. Martin Ojeda's brace was worth the price of admission alone, but after the visitors drew level, it required a show-stopping performance by Duncan McGuire, who snatched all three points at the death with a vintage Cardiac Cats goal. We look back at the key moments, players, and plays of the match, check our score predictions, and make our selections for Man of the Match. This week's mailbagbox asked about an Orlando City Best XI, ranking rock bands, using MLS U22 Initiative slots, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag. OCB did not help itself in the playoff race by losing 1-0 at home to Huntsville City. We discussed the difficult spot the loss put the Young Lions in with just two games remaining. The schedule is favorable, but OCB needs to get wins and a little help to get back above the line or the team will miss the postseason. We give a brief preview of the all-important visit to Carolina Core FC on Saturday. Finally, the senior Lions head to Ohio to face a good FC Cincinnati team that won the first meeting in Orlando. Stopping Evander is the key but it's much easier said than done. Can Orlando City finally pitch a shutout? If so, can the Lions keep scoring? It's an important game, as they all are down the stretch, with a playoff spot not yet clinched and home field far from certain. We provide the history of the series and our key matchups and make our final score predictions. Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we'll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show. If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site. Here’s how No. 505 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City threw away the two-goal lead Ojeda provided but McGuire called game. 22:47 – The mailbagbox is concerned with Alex Freeman getting sold. 39:11 - OCB-dropped a heartbreaker to Huntsville City and has no margin for error, and the MLS side heads north to Cincinnati. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices