We Ended Up Drafting Some Forwards

January 19, 2023·53 min·4 clips

Bree reveals her deep sadness as Maggie Dory Howard, the Pride's hardest-working player, signs with San Diego.

This episode of the Purple Pulse Podcast features hosts Luis and Bree analyzing the Orlando Pride's recent NWSL draft and the departure of a key player. They are dedicated fans who provide detailed, opinionated coverage of the team. The hosts begin by reacting to forward Maggie Dory Howard leaving in free agency to sign a two-year deal with San Diego Wave FC. Howard led the Pride with three goals last season, and Bree expresses particular disappointment at her exit. They note Howard's social media farewell thanked Orlando staff, fans, and teammates but did not mention any coaches, which the hosts speculate might be indicative of her reasons for leaving. The main focus is the NWSL draft, where the Pride had the third overall pick after trading away the second pick for allocation money. At the draft table, the hosts were surprised to see former GM Eric Ustruck, who left the club in 2021, assisting head coach Seb Hines alongside Jared Dillon and Giles Barnes. With the third pick, Orlando selected defender Emily Madrill, who is already under a pro contract through 2025 and spent time on loan in Sweden. In the second round, with the ninth pick, the team selected forward Messiah Bright from TCU, whom the hosts acknowledge was the best available talent at that spot. Their third-round pick was center back Tori Hansen from UNC, whom Bree follows closely and believes needs some positional development. The Pride then traded two later third-round picks to the Washington Spirit for $75,000 in allocation money. In the fourth round, Orlando selected forward/midfielder Summer Yates from Washington and forward Kristen Scott from UCF, a local player who attended high school in Orlando. Luis believes Scott has the aggressive mindset to score a goal for the Pride this season. The hosts agree the draft successfully addressed the team's biggest need by selecting two center backs, with Madrill viewed as a day-one starter. A surprising claim is that the absence of any coach's name in Maggie Dory Howard's farewell message might signal a deliberate omission related to her decision to leave. The hosts find it unusual that former GM Eric Ustruck, who is no longer with the club, was prominently involved in the draft process despite his past success with picks. They express a shared frustration with the team accumulating allocation money without immediate, visible plans to spend it on roster upgrades, particularly in the midfield. Bree gives a vivid description of the front office sitting on a "mattress of cash" that needs to be used for signings. The expectation set is that the Pride must make at least one major signing by the end of the month to address the midfield. The tone is conversational and passionate, blending fan commentary with tactical analysis of team needs and draft selections. The style is informal and opinionated, featuring personal reactions, speculation, and inside jokes about the organization. This episode is ideal for Orlando Pride fans seeking immediate, detailed reactions to the draft and offseason moves. Listeners who prefer strictly news-based reporting without fan speculation or emotional commentary might choose to skip it.

As heard by us

A messy but useful Pride draft reaction that keeps grief, cap math, and roster excitement in the same frame.

Purple Pulse spends its time on the Pride's draft aftermath, starting with the sting of Maggie Dory Howard's exit and then following the thread through the trade, the money, and the first-round pick.

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Why you'd press play

You want the Pride draft reaction that starts with Maggie's exit and lands on roster logic.

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