This season, Quakes fans have been listening to the new podcast, ‘74 Til Infinity, courtesy of NBC Sports Bay Area. Monti Rossetti and Steve Uhalde are the men behind the podcast, so we sat down with them to get to know them a little better:
SJEQ: Tell us a little about yourself. What’s your background?
Monti Rossetti: “My name is Monti Rossetti and I’m from San Francisco. I’ve worked for NBC Sports Bay Area for four years and I’ve covered the NBA Finals, World Series, and Stanley Cup Final. My father got me into soccer and broadcasting so I decided to put them together and cover the Earthquakes.”
Steve Uhalde: “I was born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area. Currently, I live in the Concord with my wife and two kids. I’ve been working as a cameraman for NBC for nearly a decade and during that time I’ve had the privilege to cover the World Series, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, Stanley Cup Final & Olympics.”
SJEQ: Which league outside of MLS is your favorite to follow and why?
MR: “I’ve grown up watching the Argentine league and have always enjoyed watching the passion the players show. A lot of the great teams around the world have gotten players based out of this league which just proves the quality of play in Argentina.
SU: “I love following the English Premier League. It’s the most competitive from top to bottom of the major European leagues and any team in the league can beat one of the top teams on any given weekend.”
SJEQ: What is your favorite team to support outside of San Jose? How did your fandom begin?
MR: “Outside of the Earthquakes, I am a huge supporter of Fiorentina in the Serie A. I started watching them because of what legendary Argentine forward Gabriel Batistuta was doing there in the 90s. I’ve been a supporter of them ever since through all of their ups and downs.”
SU: “My favorite team outside of San Jose would be Arsenal. I began watching them because of Thierry Henry and the several French players they had back in the early 2000s. I also really liked their manager, Arsene Wenger, and their style of play. In 2014, I was able to travel to London and watch a game at the Emirates Stadium.”
SJEQ: If you could change one rule in the game today, what would it be?
MR: “If there was one rule I’d change in today's game, it would probably be not calling offsides on a player if they are in a non-dangerous position. Some players get called for being in an offside position when the ball is passed but when they receive the ball there is no clear advantage. I think that would help eliminate unnecessary stoppages in the game.”
SU: “This I tough one as I think the game is in a great spot. Not really a rule change but one improvement I’d like to see would be the speed/efficiency of VAR. The only rule change I can think of at the moment would be to allow an emergency sub in the case of a diagnosed concussion. It would need to be independently diagnosed to prevent faking concussions just to get another sub.”
SJEQ: Who is your favorite player, either active or retired, and why?
MR: “Gabriel Omar Batistuta. He was the best forward when I was growing up and he showed Fiorentina fans what it meant to play with passion. Every summer, Manchester United and Real Madrid tried to purchase him, but he would say no because he believed in Fiorentina. In the end, he left for Roma only because Fiorentina were on the brink of bankruptcy and needed the money.”
SU: “Thierry Henry. I’m half French, so I’m obviously biased but for me, I just loved watching his speed outrunning players in the midfield and then using his strength & dribbling against defenders in the box. Add to that his ability to place a rocket of a shot in the top corner. My love of soccer began with him so he’ll always hold a unique place in my heart.”
