Sam Stejskal brings a unique viewpoint to his beat at The Athletic - a perspective that's informed not only by his national perspective on Major League Soccer but also his time in an MLS front office, living in multiple league markets, and climbing to a place as one of the foremost breakers of news on the league's landscape. Today, we talked to Stejskal about not only where the league sits at the end of a strange 2020 season but about a first for a Timbers icon: the selection of Diego Chara to the league's Best XI for the first time in the midfielder's decade in Portland.

Ross Smith talks with midfielder Diego Chara ahead of the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs about their break in-between games, how Chara has been resting, the team's confidence in their play at the end of the regular season and how they're preparing for FC Dallas (7pm PT, ESPN).

Since returning to the team in 2018, Jorge Villafaña has been a constant on the left side of the Portland Timbers' defense, recently surpassing 100 career appearances for the club before scoring his first goal in green and gold: this weekend's late equalizer against Los Angeles FC. In this interview, Villafaña talks life back in California, his story moving to the small screen, the downs and ups of professional sports, and his play over the Timbers' 2020 season.

Ann Schatz and Katherine Reynolds talk about Kath's decision to retire, being a pioneer in the women's game as her career spanned multiple leagues and countries, and Christine Sinclair and Emily Menges' campaign (already) to bring her out of retirement. Plus a surprise pop in from Kath's longtime friend and teammate, Angela Salem.