Back in MLS With a Bang!

My voice is more than a little froggy this morning after calling a wild 3-2 win for D.C. United over Orlando City in a Major League Soccer game Saturday night.

We don't have time or space to go through all my emotions leading up to the show, my first on the primary English TV feed of an MLS game since an ESPN game I called in 2021. Suffice it to say, I've been looking forward to it! The event itself certainly delivered more than I could have asked for.

Five goals, multiple lead changes, and a 90th-minute game-winner from the home team in front of their supporters? Yeah, that's how you draw it up. What's more, the decisive goalscorer, Kye Rowles, was the D.C. United representative we talked to on Friday to prepare for the match. I did not expect that he would be the hero less than 36 hours later!

Here are the highlights of a game I thoroughly enjoyed calling with my partner, 12-year MLS veteran Jalil Anibaba, who I only met on Thursday but already consider a friend. We had a blast!

For my first broadcast on Apple TV and my first full broadcast in almost six months, I felt very good about our show. Getting fooled by the 80th-minute chance and calling goal on a shot that didn't go in will not make my personal highlight reel, but it happens to the best of us.

It was also a treat before the game to say hello to a broadcasting legend, Dave Johnson, for whom the broadcast booth at Audi Field is named. He is battling multiple sclerosis and doing so with remarkably good humor, maintaining a busy schedule of Wizards and United broadcasts, working with Bruce Murry on the latter.

Dave is a true class act for whom I have so much respect. He showed that American broadcasters can put their own stamp on soccer. Ever the insider, he had confirmed both lineups and bench rosters way before us TV folks, helpfully sharing that information to help us prepare.

I have a few weeks for my voice to recover before I call three more MLS games in May, and then everyone's focus will flip to the World Cup.

But for now, I'm very happy to have gotten my feet wet. As I texted a friend this morning, "God was it fun!"

Disney Day 6: What's in a nickname?

Well, in our final broadcast together for this tournament, Simon Borg and I spent time in the first half basically picking on Toronto FC and pointing out how not ready they were for Wednesday's Champions League first leg against the LA Galaxy. Then rookie midfielder Luis Silva woke his team up, scored two goals in five minutes, and turned our show into a discussion of potential nicknames for Silva. QuickSilva (@BobbyBrizzo) and Luis Skillva (@MikalManu) were my favorites of the Twitter suggestions, and Simon went with QuickSilva for the rest of the show.

Disney Day 4: Controversy rules

That's me on the left.

After attending MLS broadcasting meetings yesterday and today, I found myself on the air again tonight in the fourth doubleheader of the Disney Pro Soccer Classic. Simon Borg and I called the Dallas-Orlando City game in the nightcap, a big game for me because (a) I'll be calling a lot of Dallas games this year; (b) the atmosphere is a lot better when Orlando City is playing; and (c) the teams played two tight games last year. So I was looking forward to this one, and rightly so.

The game turned on a fourth-minute play in which Orlando goalie Sean Kelley had a rough touch on a backpass and then was forced to take down Dallas forward Blas Perez in the penalty area. Everybody agreed with the foul and penalty kick, but it was the red card about which my esteemed colleague disagreed. Orlando stayed in the game for maybe 25 minutes, but Dallas pulled away to lead 2-0 at the half and win 4-0, taking control of the group. That didn't mean we weren't still talking about that red card!

Disney Day 2: High winds, high entertainment

I had seen enough weather reports to know that today, Saturday, would be the coldest day of the tournament, but I still wasn't prepared for the cool temperatures and whipping wind that wreaked havoc with any notes that weren't taped down and kept my nose at a constant run. Despite that, I felt like Simon Borg and I got to call the best game of the tournament so far in the opener, and I enjoyed watching the nightcap despite the weather.

Disney preview: Orlando City

The 2012 Disney Pro Soccer Classic starts on Friday, signaling the final countdown to the MLS season. I’ll be calling games at the tournament for the third straight year, teaming up with Simon Borg as part of MLSsoccer.com’s coverage of the group stage and then working the final day of the tournament on the ESPN3 broadcasts. As the week goes on, I’ll preview each of the eight teams set to participate in Orlando.

The tournament starts on Friday, but half of the teams will kick off on Saturday. This is the third edition of the tournament, but only the second with a host club. Orlando City, from the United Soccer Leagues’ PRO League, debuted last year and split its two games against MLS teams. Orlando City then won the inaugural USL PRO title on penalty kicks, and they’re ready for more MLS competition this year.