3rd Degree the Podcast

Playoff crunch time is almost upon us all, and this week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - go deep on the rough FC Dallas outings and the current playoff prognosis. The loss against the Crew and the tie with Sporting KC have muddied the positivity despite the excellent season. Petar Musa is showing signs of a big funk, Job is a work in progress and doesn't quite fit the tactics, and Coach Quill overcooked the rotations. Still, your hosts are optimistic about a solid playoff run once FCD takes care of the Colorado Rapids.

Dallas Trinity enjoyed a 3-0 home win against Fort Lauderdale. With four games left, Trinity holds its playoff fate in its own hands. Kalea Eichenberger was the surprise of the week and is making a case to start. Sporting Jax is at the Cotton Bowl this Sunday.

And Foro SC advances in 2027 US Open Cup Qualifying at the expense of the Denton Diablos.

Music by Pappy Check!

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - enjoy second place!! FCD even has a chance to move into first. Your hosts will let you know just how long ago it was the last time that happened. But there's lots of love about this team, and lots of credit to go around. Three games to go - how did they get there? What's the goal now? How should they navigate these last three games: Crew, Sporting, and Rapids? Can your hosts not jinx it?

Dallas Trinity, on the other hand, did not make a good showing on the road. Nor did their coach. Questions need to be asked about the personnel decisions, the tactics, and the lack of adjustments. There are 5 games left; can Coach Nguyen right this thing? What are they even doing?

Huge local game this weekend, Foro at Denton Diablos for the Open Cup spot.

Music by Pappy Check!

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, it was almost a total win episode! Your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - dissect the two FC Dallas results: a win vs. Seattle and a (rotated) tie at Houston. Kaick, Moore, Daniel, Cappis, Job... lots to talk about. Can FCD climb to second in the West? A big game this week against San Jose may be the key, good or bad.

Dallas Trinity won the State Fair Clásico over Chivas Femenil with some exciting play from several reserve players. They get back to league play against DC Power next, and Dennis says some players may have elevated themselves into the XI from the Clásico.

North Texas SC won a scrimmage against Foro SC 2-1 this weekend. Foro faces Denton Diablos in 2027 US Open Cup Qualifying on the 31st.

Music by Pappy Check!

Surprise, it's a Monday podcast again!

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - are all a little bummed as both FC Dallas and Dallas Trinity had stinker performances.

FC Dallas had a two-goal loss on the road and let it get away. Things were looking good, and it was some enjoyable soccer, then mistakes were made on the field and by the coach. Defensive frailties were exposed, and it all went sideways. But this team is still good, and it has three tough 6-point games coming up next, including this week against Seattle and Houston.

Dallas Trinity went to play Brooklyn on that tiny little bandbox, and it led to some horrible soccer. Trinity didn't have much of an answer except https://www.dallastrinityfc.com/roster/jasmine-hamid/Jasmine Hamid and 1800 midfielders. Trinity could have taken the game, but Hamid hit the post on her PK. The https://www.dallastrinityfc.com/state-fair-of-texas-matchState Fair of Texas Clásico against Chivas Femenil. Should be a lot of fun at the Fair.

And Buzz has a North Texas SC update.

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There were no games this last weekend to talk about on this episode of 3rd Degree the Podcast, but you don't know your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - if you think that means they got nothing to talk about.

Starting with FC Dallas and what a fantastic stretch run there is to look forward to. Yes, Petar Musa is key, but so is Joaquín Valiente. Does this team have a first XI? What's more important in the playoffs: home field or a certain opponent? Charlotte is ahead this weekend, and Buzz has a small concern. The fellas on SoccerWise enjoyed Peter's Sack-Assist stat from last week.

Dallas Trinity also returns to action with a roady at Brooklyn (no sleep 'till). Is that the worst home field in US pro soccer? Coach Nguyen has some tough decisions to make in his XI each week, but he's also got some looming this winter, as the sprint season is already half over.

And with all the young talent coming into the USMNT, Peter asks the question, "Where has all the FC Dallas-to-the-US talent gone?"

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This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, you win some, you lose some. Your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - break down the FC Dallas win over LAFC. A win so annoying to LA that they fired their coach! A win built on quality defense. A win that got FC Dallas into 2nd place in the West. Is it time to start worrying about Coach Eric Quill getting poached by someone with deep pockets? There was a new Job in town; how did he do? Plus, Petar Musa says he wants to get back to Europe! Is it time to panic? Good thing FCD is off this weekend.

On the losing end was Dallas Trinity, who got rolled by the defending champs, Lexington SC. Yes, some chances went missing, but Lexington had too much for the Golden Girls to handle. Perhaps Coach Nguyen could have gone at this one differently? Trinity is also off this weekend. They too will be missing some pieces soon.

Plus, in North Texas SC news, John Gall was not retained.

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Surprise! A Monday episode of 3rd Degree the Podcast! On this episode, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - kick off the episode with FC Dallas vs Austin FC. It was a flat, poor game, interrupted by the excitement of a rabbit. Go rabbit!! FCD got a point and brought home Copa Tejas, so there's that. Is there much value to this game? LAFC is next, with both teams missing some pieces due to the international window.

Dallas Trinity was the bright spot of the week, playing their possession-passing game on the road at Fort Lauderdale and getting the 3 points. Some new faces got starts and played well. "Flexibility" was the word from the coach, much to Buzz's chagrin. The Godlen Girls are at Lexington next; will we see the same XI or some new combination?

Finally, North Texas SC put up a stinker at lowly Rapids 2 and cost themselves a playoff spot. NTSC was one of four teams chasing three spots and didn't come up with the goods, so they are now done for the year.

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This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennic McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - almost had a perfect win week to talk about, except that North Texas SC wrecked it.

The podcast starts with FC Dallas and their double-win week. Two quality wins versus Minnesota and Portland take the streak to three straight. FCD got it done without much of Petar Musa and even a game without Osazr Urhohide. Ran Binyamin at wingback, Daniel back in net, Logan Farrington is back in form, and Joaquín Valiente is balling out hard. Plus, Peter thinks Shaq Moore is FCD's MVP. Austin is next.

Dallas Trinity won again; they are up to two straight. Cyera Hintzen might have had the best assist we've ever seen in Dallas. Jasmin Hamid is dominating off the right wing, and 17-year-old https://www.dallastrinityfc.com/news/2026/09/09/dallas-trinity-fc-signs-meila-brewer/Meila Brewer signed a contract this week and immediately started at center back. The Golden Girls head to Fort Lauderdale on Friday.

North Texas SC faced Houston twice this week, losing on Wednesday, then getting a tie on Sunday before grabbing some extra points with a shootout win. They are clinging to the 8th playoff seed and could see a play-in game. A result in Colorado against the worst team in the West still matters, or Los Toritos could miss out.

Music by Pappy Check!

It's a triple-win edition of 3rd Degree the Podcast; all three (currently playing) pro teams brought home the W.

Your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick start off with FC Dallas, digging into the massive goal-fest comeback against Sporting KC. Petar Musa was great, but is he hurt? Farrington looked sharp; is he back? Ramiro might have had his worst game yet; can he be dropped? FCD is bleeding goals and winning anyway! But why is the question? The window closed, and FCD got a Job. Will the new signing have an impact in 2026? FCD gets a double game week on the road at Minnesota and at home versus Portland, two winnable games.

Dallas Trinity played their best game of the year, rolling over Brooklyn. A small tactical change proved the difference. Castain and Hamid powered the win. Attendance took a tick up. Ally Cook was lost for the season, but now Lauren Flynn might be healthy; does that change things against DC?

Lastly, North Texas rallied because Diego Garcia had a smashing 2nd half to torch Real Monarchs 4-1. NTSC is playing well, but it may not matter with two home games against Dynamo Dos this week.

Music by Pappy Check!

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - break down the FC Dallas miracle comeback at St Louis City. The good and the ugly. FCD has traversed the epic road slog with a fantastic record and has put themselves in position to make a great push in the final third of the season. 12 games, 8 at home, remain... can they overcome the poor home form from the start of the season? Sporting KC is in town this weekend; could there be a couple of changes in the Los Toros XI?

On the other hand, things are not so great downtown, as the Golden Girls of Dallas Trinity remain winless. Coach Lee Nguyen is playing Luchi-ball, and, similarly, his team struggles to score. Are there some solutions on the roster? And just what is going on with the greater Super League numbers? Trinity gets bottom dwellers Brooklyn next at the Cotton Bowl. Better win this one.

North Texas SC has tied 4 in a row. They aren't great, but they are scrappy and just might sneak into the playoffs. But they should be playing kids anyway. They play on Friday this week, not the same day as FCD. What a concept.

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On this special edition of 3rd Degree the Podcast, Dennis McGowan sits down with Dallas Trinity's new owners, Matt Valentine and Sam Morton.

While most of the talk centers around the ladies' team, Valentine and Morton expounded on the soon-to-launch men's team, Atlético Dallas, as well. Topics of discussion include tickets and pricing, the game day experience at the Cotton Bowl, training facilities, on-field expectations, accessible pricing, business targets, and fan accessibility.

A very special thanks to Valentine and Morton for not just sitting down with us but opening up about the state of both teams in a transparent way.

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - have lots to discuss with the three pro teams in action.

First, FC Dallas had two more games in their brutal road stretch, including a saved win at Real Salt Lake and a rotation meltdown at Vancouver. Peta Musa and Joaquín Valiente are on fire, but the defense looks tired and burned out. And it sure looks like something is up with Logan Farrington. The final brutal road game is at St Louis City, back to the FCD best XI, yes? Surly? And lastly, Buzz predicts a player sale, and it's not who you think.

Dallas Trinity falls to Carolina 3-1. Coach Nguyen wants the Golden Girls to play like the great Barcelona teams, and they are in a way, minus the goals. Camryn Lancaster was back and got an assist. Carissa Boeckmann looks like a fantastic addition. But the team has injury problems already, and now they go on the road against an excellent Sporting JAX side.

Lastly, North Texas SC picked up a couple of shootout wins and is actually improving the use of the side for development of FCD players (small sample), just not the real kids. Now they also play St Louis but two days before FCD, allowing for better synergy between the two teams, thanks to St Louis City scheduling. What a concept.

Music by Pappy Check!

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your host with the most, Peter Welpton, is back alongside Buzz Carrick and Dennis McGowan to talk all things DFW pro soccer.

FC Dallas kicks us off with the epic game down in Toluca and the oddly dominant midfield win in Austin. Turns out Santi Moreano has been playing hurt, and he put in maybe his best showing of the year this past weekend. Ramiro, on the other hand, ouch. Now the team faces RSL without Oz - at least Nolan Norris is back - before heading to Vancouver this weekend.

Dallas Trinity is up next with their home opener. A good performance with an unfortunate 1-1 result. The Golden Girls go again this weekend. Hopefully we get to see those sweet away kits soon.

Lastly, North Texas SC got wrecked, and your hosts think there's a real problem with how that side is being run. Maybe am understandable one, but a problem nonetheless.

Music by Pappy Check!

On this special Bonus edition of 3rd Degree The Podcast, Dennis McGowan had an opportunity to chat with Dallas Trinity’s First Team Manager Lee Nguyen.

The conversation ranged from his experience growing up playing soccer in Dallas, going overseas to play in Europe & Asia, and his eventual return to Major League Soccer. Dennis & Lee discuss Lee’s coaching career in the NWSL and what it means for a hometown kid to come back to Dallas for his first head coaching role. Lee talks about his coaching philosophy, his tactical vision, and how the new roster is gelling, both on and off the pitch.

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This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, it's a quintuple win podcast!! Two wins for FC Dallas, two wins for Dallas Trinity, and one win for North Texas SC.

Your hosts - Buzz Carrick and Dennis McGowan kick it off with FC Dallas, who took two wins in Leagues Cup. Two rotated wins. Two wins on the road. The defense is playing great, the keeper is playing great, they offense has enough to get it done. The midfield... well, there is one. Now the stakes rise as it's a must-win game at Toluca in Mexico midweek, and Ramiro might be the key. Then it's a visit to Austin this weekend.

Dallas Trinity is up next with a double-win week, granted it was in scrimmages against SMU and TCU. The season kicks off this weekend, and your hosts break down the Godel Girls roster, including the expected departure of Lexi Missimo. And just what are the implications of this calendar flip?

Finally, North Texas SC got a big win on the shoulders of Calen Swann's return to the Next Pro side. Los Toritos sit in 10th with 8 games to play; 10 points out of 4th. It would take something meteoric to get in at this point, like 8 straight wins, and even that might not do it. Given the bonkers levels of injuries the FCD second team seems to have, it's a *long* shot to say the least.

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, Peter Welpton is back!!! (And there was much rejoicing!)

Your hosts, Peter Welpton and Buzz Carrick, dive into the Chicharito fan introduction event - Peter was there - and discuss the impact of the signing as the market responds.

Then it's FC Dallas time, coming off the ok perforamnce in LA. FCD added a midfielder, and the contrast to the Atletico Dallas move is fascinating. Daniel is out 2 months; does FCD still have ambition for this season? There are questions. Why is Anderson Julion playing over Sam Sarver? What's missing in the midfield? What happens if Osaze Urhoghide is sold? Then it's League Cup time with two games this week. Is FCD all in or not?

Dallas Trinity has three new players and two scrimmages before they open the season on the 15th.

North Texas SC is getting wrecked, and the playoffs are looking out of reach.

Plus, MLS has a new commissioner. Or at least elected one.

Music by Pappy Check.

Holy cow, it's Chicharito. This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Buzz Carrick and Dennis McGowan - try to recover from the signing heard 'round the world: Javier Hernandez to Atletico Dallas. This is a massive, massive move.

FC Dallas had two signings of their own sandwiched around two road games. A solid performance in Portland went to waste, and then a really poor performance in San Diego leaves a tough 7 of 8 on the road. Seven of those games also come in a 24-day window. My word. Your hosts also fill you in on FCD's two new signings, Benji Flowers and Clay Holstad.

Dallas Trinity was back at it with a scrimmage against KC Current II. Dennis took the game in and spotted 5 more signings that haven't been announced. Your hosts have the scoop on who they are.

Lastly is North Texas SC. They have a load of injuries, leaving them depleted. Edu Nys was added to the All-Star Game Crossbar Challenge, so that's nice for him. They also have a signing, not that it matters.

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Buzz Carrick and Dennis McGowan - go into "Thanks world, we'll take it from here" mode.

First, some Dallas Trinity takeover talk and a complete dive into the new roster pieces. The USL landscape is changing far more than just a new owner at The Trinity. Big things are afoot for the USL as well as the local Super League club and its new partner, 6 months from putting a team on the field, Atletico Dallas.

Then it's FC Dallas time. Only one big move so far: keeper Daniel. Is that it? Could there be more? FCD kicks off their insane 9-road-games-in-10 stretch that will decide the season with Portland Wednesday and San Diego Saturday. The lift ahead is massive, but Quill's team of warriors might have the guts for it. Too bad Ramiro is hurt.

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It's an emergency episode of 3rd Degree the Podcast! Your hosts - Buzz Carrick and Dan Crooke take a break from watching the World Cup to discuss the news that Atlético Dallas has purchased the Dallas Trinity FC USL Super League franchise. Buzz and Dan give you the facts. Then, is this a good move or not? And finally, it's time for some speculation and prognostication. It's an all-Dallas Trinity and Atlético Dallas podcast.

Music by Pappy Check.

This week on a Memorial Day episode of 3rd Degree the Podcast, Dan Crooke is missing. So your hosts - Peter Welpton and Buzz Carrick - go it alone as many things come to an end.

FC Dallas ends the opening phase of the 2026 season with a road win at Colorado. A horrible, boring, awful, road win of a game. Missing Peter Musa and Osaze Urhoghide, the collective team was poor. Still, a win is a win. Now we move to Musa-Sale-Watch as the team goes into World Cup hiatus. The summer window opens before the club plays again.

Dallas Trinigy fell in the playoffs, ending their 2025-26 season. The Golden Girls got handled pretty easily by Lexington, the #1 team in the league. Now, after Trinity's second season has ended, we expect a relatively high rate of turnover this summer. A Super League team just went under, and frankly, the health of the entire league is a worry.

North Texas SC tied San Jose 2, but then lost in the shootout at the final game at Choctaw Stadium. They have two more games before they too go on hiatus.

And since everyone is going on hiatus, we will too. See you on the other side.

Music by Pappy Check.