3rd Degree the Podcast

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - marvel at what a great season it's been for FC Dallas as they all look forward to a playoff challenge. Buzz misremembers his predictions from last February (he'll eat crow next week) before the team analyzes the Colorado win. FCD has a crowded calendar next year with all the extra Cups. A few Dallas players will miss some training time with call-ups.  Dallas Trinity tied Sporting JAX 1-1 but fielded a pretty strong XI now that Lee Nguyen has come around to 3rd Degree's way of thinking. Lancaster, Hamid, Cheesman, and Boeckman all stood out again. Three games remain; a trip to Tampa is up next.  Atlético Dallas has a player announcement on Tuesday; your hosts speculate on who it is. Foro SC learns their Open Cup opponent, and Dallas College Mountain View is hosting the 2026 NJCAA D3 Men’s Championships. Support Local Soccer. Music by Pappy Check!

Ahead of Sunday’s Dallas Trinity Salute to Service match vs Sporting JAX, 3rd Degree’s Dennis McGowan sat down with Trinity’s President Charlie Neil and US Army Veteran Gus Cabarcas. The trio talked about Gus’ time as a leader in both the United States Army and the NYPD, and how the lessons he learned there translate to youth sports and development of young talent. Charlie Neil spoke about what it means for DTFC to hold events like this and to be able to welcome veterans & their families to The Cotton Bowl.Music by Pappy Check!

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 Jasmine Hamid and 1800 midfielders. Trinity could have taken the game, but Hamid hit the post on her PK. The State Fair of Texas Clásico against Chivas Femenil. Should be a lot of fun at the Fair.  And Buzz has a North Texas SC update.  Music by Pappy Check!

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?"Music by Pappy Check!

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. Music by Pappy Check!

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. Music by Pappy Check!

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 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!