Soccer In Snow & Smoke

Every World Cup is influenced by money. This one happens to be particularly so. University of Montana business professor Justin Angle joins the podcast to break down why Qatar would pay so much to host the World Cup and how the USMNT can transform from a good young team into household brand names.

Soccer In Snow & Smoke has prepped you to watch the World Cup. Now hear what it's like to actually be in Qatar as Andrew Houghton is joined by Marcus Cranston, USMNT superfan and Frenchtown native, who's currently attending his seventh World Cup. What's the fan experience like at one of the most heavily-scrutinized sporting events in history? Is it really that hard to get a beer in Doha? And what does the USMNT need to do to win its crucial group stage finale against Iran? All those questions and more, answered on this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke.

The final episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke's World Cup previews features Ross McMonies breaking the team that many think will win it all, Brazil, as well as a fascinating Group H that contains Cristiano Ronaldo drama and three capable teams looking to knock Ronaldo's Portugal out of the tournament.

Montana Grizzlies head soccer coach Chris Citowicki is back in the studio to preview Groups E and F at this year's World Cup. Hear his thoughts on whether the falling dynasties of Group E can contend for another trophy, as well as a potential North American dark horse that could shake up Group F.

Soccer In Snow & Smoke's viewer's guide to the World Cup rolls on with Chris Citowicki, head coach of the Montana soccer team, breaking down Group C & D. Two teams in these groups are particularly close to Chris's heart, but listen in as he breaks down Argentina and France's chances of winning the trophy, plus a ferocious fight for El Tri in Group C and a potential European dark horse in Group D.

The World Cup is here, and we'll have coverage of the biggest sporting event in the world all month long on Soccer In Snow & Smoke. Getting things started: Roland Benedict, fresh off coaching the Whitefish girls to a state runner-up finish, breaks down Groups A & B. Listen along as Roland and Andrew Houghton explain the curious case of the hosts, Qatar, pinpoint what the US needs to do to get out of the group, and talk themselves into one dark-horse team from these two groups being an actual contender to win the whole thing.

Another high school soccer season has come to a close in Montana, and in this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, Andrew Houghton reviews the fall by catching up with the teams who were left victorious at the end of the state tournaments. Hear from Hellgate boys coach Jay Anderson (0:11), as well as the captains who helped the Knights win their historic fourth straight state title (9:06). In Class AA girls, Joel Ganey and Bozeman Gallatin won the first crown in program history (17:21), while in Class A, hear from Columbia Falls boys coach O'Brien Byrd (33:45) after the WildKats snapped a 17-year title drought and Billings Central girls coach Nolan Trafton (45:46) after the Rams won their record-tying 10th overall state championship.

It was almost a season review episode, but Chris Citowicki and the Montana soccer team are still alive and heading to the Big Sky Conference tournament next week after getting some help on the final day of the regular season. In this episode, a peek behind the curtain at what went wrong for the Griz this season and why Citowicki thinks they might still have a run left in them.

Do you know when the first recorded soccer game in Missoula took place? What about the history of prisoners playing at the internment camps at Fort Missoula? In this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, Andrew Houghton learns about the history of soccer in Missoula from Sophia Etier, a historian with Americorps and the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula. Plus, an update on the Montana Grizzlies' struggles and the high school soccer landscape as the Class AA state tournaments prepare to kick off.

Andrew Houghton and Montana Grizzlies head soccer coach Chris Citowicki are digging deep on the Griz after their first weekend of Big Sky Conference play, touching on why Chris thought his team played better in a loss than a win, the benefits and drawbacks of playing two defensive midfielders, and how the conference has gotten more competitive. Plus, Andrew gives a comprehensive update on standings, top scorers and contenders from every level of Montana high school soccer, and Andrew and Chris debate the ethics of the Qatar World Cup.

St. Peter's? Please. The best underdog story in American sports this year was Sacramento Republic FC, which became the first non-MLS team to make the US Open Cup final since 2008. Our man Cameron Salerno of the Sacramento Bee had a front-row seat to the Cinderella run and in this episode, he explains just how unlikely it was and takes us inside the stadium during Sac Republic's electric semifinal win over Sporting Kansas City.

The not-really-a-preview high school soccer preview rolls on, with this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke focusing on this year's girls soccer scene around Montana. Andrew Houghton catches up with Sentinel head coach Dan Lochridge (3:45), Bozeman head coach Erika Cannon (14:09) and Whitefish head coach Roland Benedict (24:01).

Okay, okay, it's not a preview, given that the 2022 high school soccer season has already kicked off around Montana. But in this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, we're going in depth on the prep soccer landscape in the Treasure State, focusing first on the boys side of things. Andrew Houghton is joined by Hellgate coach Jay Anderson (2:25), whose Knights are going for a fourth-straight Class AA state title; Billings West coach Luke Ashmore (15:33), whose Golden Bears have to contend with Eastern AA power Bozeman; and Columbia Falls head coach O'Brien Byrd (26:19), whose Wildkats are ranked No. 1 in Class A as they try to snap Whitefish's historic streak of four-straight state championships.

Hosting Creighton and Pittsburgh for the Rumble in the Rockies was a tough way to start the season for Montana — and exactly the test that Griz head coach Chris Citowicki wanted. In this episode, Citowicki and Andrew Houghton share their takeaways from the Grizzlies' opening weekend, including the debut of a possible freshman phenom and the tactical reasons why Citowicki was encouraged with a 2-0 loss.

There was no World Cup this summer, but the soccer world certainly wasn't quiet. In this episode, Ross McMonies swings by the studio to help break down the biggest stories of the summer, including transfer drama at the top of the Premier League (3:46), Barcelona's financial house of cards (10:24), the breakthrough success of the women's Euro championships (21:23) and plenty more!

Soccer In Snow & Smoke returns with a primer for Missoula Soccer Day, a free pick-up soccer event organized by Charlie Vandam and Soccer Alliance Missoula. Chris Citowicki also stops by for a summer update on the Montana Grizzlies soccer team.

After being named Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Year and Tournament MVP in a scintillating redshirt freshman season for Montana, Camellia Xu joins Soccer In Snow & Smoke from deep in the heart of Texas, where she's playing for a semipro team this summer. In this episode, Xu and UM goalkeeping coach J Landham break down their unlikely paths to Missoula, the art of playing 'keeper and how it all came together in Xu's record-setting 2021 season.

Ross McMonies joins Andrew Houghton to talk about the big narratives in the Premier League as the season reaches its conclusion, including the scintillating title race between Manchester City and Liverpool, a shocking relegation contender, and what Ross would do if he were in Erik ten Hag's shoes at Manchester United.

Ashley Herndon's playing career included a Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year award at James Madison, an NWSL championship ring with the Portland Thorns and Champions League nights in Prague. Now, the Montana Grizzlies' newest assistant coach is hoping her experience can help Griz alums tread the same path from college to the pros. Herndon joined Andrew Houghton on the most recent episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke.

In the second half of Soccer In Snow & Smoke's two-part interview with Mark Cranston, Frenchtown native and U.S. national team superfan, Cranston reminisces about the wildest stadium atmospheres that he's ever seen, plus the lingering pain from the USMNT's failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and what Cranston thinks about the team heading into this week's crucial qualifying games.