Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Viola Nation: for Fiorentina fans

It's the most exciting time of the year for Viola fans: the end of the transfer market and the start of a new Serie A season. The only way we could possibly celebrate it is by getting all three of your favorite Fiorentina podcast idiots back together for the first time in nearly two months to talk it all over, starting with what's shaping up to be a furious end to the transfer window, with Nico González, Albert Guðmundsson, Amir Richardson, Pietro Terracciano's extension, and whatever's happening with Sofyan Amrabat as major points of discussion. We also dive into the first game of the new campaign, attempting to glean what we can from an uneven 90 minutes and getting to grips with what Palladinismo actually looks like, from back to front and back again. Along the way, we get a little Mike-on-Mike identity theft, McMike and Warren G’s Midfield Regulator Index, and Producer Mike’s degenerate history that we can’t discuss. As always, thank you to the Sport Social Podcast Network for hosting us. Windchime Weather provides our theme song, and check out Nate's new and very different band Friends Friends. Feel free to hit us up on the website or on Twitter. As always, we hope yall enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed making it. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Finally, McMike and Producer Mike get a chance to talk without Tito bringing weird medieval history into the conversation. Instead, we can focus on, y'know, actual Fiorentina stuff. We start with a rundown of Fiorentina's preseason thus far and what we can glean from it (Barák in midfield? Kean looking good?), and then, because that's all too happy, we turn to a topic that will crater any good vibes. We're talking, of course, about the transfer market. We start with the outgoing--Nico González, Sofyan Amrabat--and then turn to the (possibly) incoming--Tanner Tessmann, Edoardo Bove, Albert Guðmundsson, David de Gea (whoopsie that actually happened)--and try to figure out just what this club's vision is. Spoiler alert: the conclusions we reached were uh pretty grim, touching on the long-term plans and how ambitious the Viola really are. Along the way, we learned about McMike’s Handsomeness Index, how many times you can fool Producer Mike, and which words we need Tito to pronounce. Thanks as always to the Sport Social Podcast Network for hosting us and to Windchime Weather for the music (Nate's got a new project! It's called Friends Friends! It sounds nothing like the credit music! Listen to it!) Feel free to hit us up on the website or on Twitter. As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed making it. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're back. Sorry for being a day late; we encountered and overcame some technical difficulties en route, but we're back. Anyways, this was quite a podcast to record: two straight Fiorentina games defined by last-gasp goals (against Maccabi Haifa and Roma) left us reeling, grasping at answers, and eventually settling back into our usual rhythms. We worked through that wild finish against the Giallorossi--tactical, technical, and vibes-based opinions included--and spun that out to encompass a wider look at the Viola right now, particularly how Vincenzo Italiano's done during his time in charge. After that, of course, it was the fun part. Yep, that's the part where we answer listener questions, ranging from youth development to Serie A dynamics to the state of the Artemio Franchi and beyond. Along the way, we learned that Hines' American supremacy remains unchecked, that McMike's reading comprehension is at a very different level from anyone else's, and that Tito needs to work on his transitions to ad breaks if Hines is going to give him any respect. Big thanks to Jake, Laura, and the team at Sport Social Media, and to Windchime Weather for the theme music (Nate's got a new band called Friends Friends that's really good too). We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed making this one. Feel free to reach out with any questions at the website or on Twitter. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two-thirds of your favorite Fiorentina podcasts are here with a little doom and gloom. This time, it's Producer Mike and Tito, with McMike allegedly off keeping an alleged eye on Rocco Commisso, allegedly. The remaining musketeers engage in some pessimistic gazing at the Viola, looking at recent results, upcoming fixtures (which look awfully difficult!), the Conference League, and some bigger picture goals. If we sound pretty down, well, keep in mind that we recorded this the day before the Lazio game, which may have altered our outlook just a little bit. We touch on new signings in February, the future of Gaetano Castrovilli and Dodô, and where Vincenzo Italiano should place his focus for the rest of the year. Along the way, we get scorching hot transfer predictions from Producer Mike, Tito talking himself back into a dark place (that may or may not be a closet with a washer/dryer), and which Fiorentina player is like Pippo Inzaghi but without the tantric sex stuff. As always, we had a blast making this and hope you enjoy listening. Feel free to reach out to us on the website or on Twitter if you have questions or comments. As always, a big thank you to the Sport Social Media Network for hosting the podcast. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well hello again, friends. Two of your three favorite podcast idiots are back on the airwaves to talk all things Fiorentina, as we always do. No Producer Mike Hines this time because he decided to spend his honeymoon doing something that wasn't chatting with us (and again, auguri, Producer Mike!), so it's McMike and Tito behind the microphones to bring you the kind of hard-hitting journalistic excellence you've come to expect from us. That last part was, if you've listened to any previous episodes, obviously a joke. Anyways, this time we're digging into the January transfer window and trying to figure out what it means for the club and its going forward; only adding a couple of veterans on loan deals definitely has us feeling certain emotions. We also dig into Cristiano Biraghi's frustration in the post-Lecce presser, the firepower of this fully armed and operational Viola attack, and the life and impact of the recently departed Kurt Hamrin. We hope you enjoy listening to this one as much as we enjoyed making it. Hit us up on the website or on Twitter with any questions or comments, as usual. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're back baby. It's been a minute but your favorite podcast hosts are back and have dragged Producer Mike out from behind the curtain. It's been a little over a year so we're just doing a quick overview over how the season has gone thus far and whether Fioretina has lived up to expectations (not just a rhetorical question). We talk about tactics, Christian Kouamé's marriage, and how the goal scoring wingers that the Viola desperately need were the friends we made along the way. We'll be getting nittier and grittier in subsequent episodes, never fear; we're just dipping our toes back in for the moment. Listen, rate, enjoy! If you have comments or have anything you want us to talk about on future episodes then you can comment on the site, or tweet at us (We're not calling it X. That's weird.). Big thank you to Jake, Laura, and the whole team at Sport Social Media for getting us back in the action. It's great to be recording these again, so we hope you enjoy hearing us as much as we enjoyed talking to you. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No Mike this week, so it's just Tito in this one, but the presence of our most tactically-savvy guest ever should more than make up for it. Marco Lai (also subscribe to his Substack, because it's consistently fascinating) is a certified match analyst who's quickly become one of VN's favorite social media presences due to his fantastic analysis of Serie A matches. We were lucky enough to track him down for a conversation about Fiorentina's approach under Italiano. Our chat covered a range of topics, bouncing around from the abstract--the necessity of a striker who can press for a team that's predicated on pressing, tactical dogmatism, the burden on the wingers to create--to the more concrete--reasonable transfer targets, how Fiorentina can get more out of the number 10 spot, and the asymmetrical use of fullbacks--and it's safe to say that this is the most educational episodes we've ever done. Grazie mille, Marco, for the time, the knowledge, and the genuinely fun conversation. As always, thanks also go to Producer Mike Hines for producing this episode, and to Windchime Weather for our theme song (and check out Nate's other project Shaylee). We had a blast making this episode and hope you enjoy it too. Feel free to get in touch with us on the website or on Twitter, and if you like what you hear, feel free to drop us a rating and review. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The games are coming thick and fast for Fiorentina right now, so your favorite podcast idiots are back in the saddle. This time, we're looking back at how the Viola have looked over the first part of the season and how they've emerged from the restart, which naturally steers the conversation into the transfer market. With that out of the way, we also consider what this team's expectations ought to be for the rest of the year. Then, ahead of a weekend clash with the Giallorossi, we got in a rollicking discussion with Chiesa di Totti's Lord Commander Bren, who caught us up with everything happening in the Romaverse. Along the way, we learn that Mike's been brushing up his Italian, Tito's view on the nature of eternity (which involves a certain Viola midfielder), and which 1990s kids sports movie applies to Roma this year. Big thank you to Bren, whose taste in tracksuit jackets is impeccable, and to Producer Mike for doing the producing. Our theme music is by Windchime Weather (and check out Nate's other project Shaylee). As always, we had a blast making this and hope you enjoy listening. If you've got any questions, hit us up on the website or on Twitter, and leave us a rating if we did an okay job. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the winter holidays wrapping up, your favorite Viola podcast idiots have a late present for you: an episode devoted entirely to you! That's right, Mike and Tito are here to tackle questions ranging from how to get Fiorentina back in the Champions League, the Primavera-to-US-insurance-salesperson pipeline, and the Hipster Super League. So settle into that ugly sweater, pour yourself another mug of nog, and dive into, well, your thoughts about this team. Along the way, you can also learn about McMike's uncanny resemblance to a certain pivotal Yuletide figure, Tito pulling the Reverse card and dropping some thoughts on viticulture, and Candle Talk with Mike and Tito. Thanks as always to Producer Mike for producing this one and to Windchime Weather for the music (and check out Nate's other project Shaylee). And finally, thanks to you for listening. Feel free to get in touch with us on the website or on Twitter, and drop us a rating and review on whatever platform you're listening to if you feel like it. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Okay, we know this is a Fiorentina podcast, or at least a hipster wine/beer podcast, but when Juventus winds up under federal investigation for fraud, we've got to talk about it. And there's only one guy we trust to talk all things Bianconeri: Dom Penza. If we can't get hold of Dom, though, we'll grab Danny--the Blog Overloard at Black & White & Read All Over--to walk us through the Juve board's resignation and what exactly it entails. We'll also chat a little bit about the Juvenuts' January transfer market business and rest-of-season goals. Along the way, we'll learn about Juve's efforts to reunite the EU and the UK via transnational criminal investigations, whether or not Tito is just a deepfake AI, and one cool trick to spike Danny's blood pressure. Thanks as always to Producer Mike for producing this one and to Windchime Weather for the music (and check out Nate's other project Shaylee). Big thanks also to Signor Penza, who may support Juve but has the kind heart and gentle soul of a Viola fan. And finally, thanks to you for listening. Feel free to get in touch with us on the website or on Twitter, and drop us a rating and review on whatever platform you're listening to if you feel like it. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your favorite friendly Fiorentina podcast idiots spend this episode searching for the meaning in these meaningless days without the Viola, and they come pretty close to finding some. The conversation ranges from the revolving door of the January transfer market to the two-steps-forward-one-step-back nature of the women's game in Italy to the return of the Blessed Adrian Mutu. And okay, fine, we'll give you some grudging World Cup predictions, along with all the Sofyan Amrabat propaganda you can handle. Along the way, we learn what you can expect when McMike brings you a birthday present, why Tito's genuinely worried about some Tuscan anti-Polish sentiment, and what word the Viola Nation legal department made us learn to keep us out of trouble. Thanks to Windchime Weather (also, check out Nate's other project Shaylee) for the music and Producer Mike for the production. As ever, we had a blast making this and hope you enjoy listening. Drop us a rating and/or review if you're into that kind of thing, and feel free to hit us up on the website or on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've got a slightly different format today, featuring a shorter episode and just a single host. It's just Tito in this one, but McMike will be back shortly. We want to make this a weekly show but it turns out that getting both of us and Producer Mike in the same Zoom room every week is really tough, considering that we've all got other stuff going on, so this is our compromise: a shorter solo show whenever we can't all get together for a full-length one. So jump in for half of your favorite Fiorentina podcast idiot team's thoughts on the World Cup, the Viola players in (and out of) the tournament, some thoughts about how the club is being run as a whole, and a quick rundown of the transfer rumors that are desperately trying to fill the vacuum of domestic calcio coverage. Along the way, find out what I'm getting a certain special team owner for his birthday (and happy birthday, Rocco), a brief history of bald Viola midfielders associated with heavy armor, and sign number 572 that your despair indicates your understanding of how Fiorentina works. As always, huge thanks to Producer Mike for all his work making this listenable and to Windchime Weather for the music. Feel free to hit us up on the website or on Twitter, and feel free to leave us a rating and a review on whichever platform you listen on. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two thirds of your favorite crew of Fiorentina podcast idiots dips into the Viola mercato thus far. Producer Mike and Tito dip into the preseason friendlies, desperately searching for meaning in games that are ultimately meaningless (and maybe learning some life lessons along the way, but probably not), but that's not what you're here for. You're here for a plunge into mercato madness. And a plunge is what you'll get. We wade in a bit gingerly, looking at the deals that have gone official--Milenković, Kean, Pongračić, Valentini--before diving into speculation. We discuss departures for some guys who look to be well outside the first team (Brekalo, Nzola, Ikoné) and then it's the meat of the transfer industry: potential additions. Of course we're going in on Andrea Colpani, but we hit on a couple other names too. Along the way, we learn what Peyton Manning taught Producer Mike about preseason, get a glimpse into some of Tito’s past trauma around empty beer cases, and figure out why we won’t be getting live updates on preseason from inside the Rocco B. Commisso Viola Park and Fun Time Activity Center. Big thank you to Windchime Weather for the music (and check out Nate's new project Friends Friends, which is a very fun and very different musical outing) and to the Sport Social Podcast Network for hosting us. Feel free to reach out to us on the site or on Twitter. As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this one as much as we enjoyed making it. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the Viola's season on pause for some reason nobody can quite explain, your favorite Fiorentina podcast idiots are back to bring that splash of purple back to your life. We started off with a quick look at the AC Milan game and the absurdity that came with it before zooming out and trying to figure out where this team is right now after a wretched start, highlighting a few newer developments that have the good guys flying, well, maybe not high, but at least not into a smoking crater. After that, we turned our attention to the World Cup and what it means for the 5 Viola players there (we recorded before the Nicolás González injury hit, so just ignore all the stuff we said about him). We wrapped up with a surprise interview featuring an international man of mystery. Who is he? Guess you gotta listen to find out, suckers. Along the way, we learned that Mike's branching out into other types of football, that Tito's a sommelier of sadness, and that Producer Mike thinks we're number one and he's got the fingers to prove it. As always, thanks to Windchime Weather for the music. We had a blast making this and hope that you enjoy listening. Feel free to get in touch with us at the website or on Twitter (assuming it's still around by the time this is live), or to leave us a review on whatever platform you listen on. Thanks, and Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's not always fun to talk about Fiorentina, and it's even less fun to talk about Fiorentina during the international break. Nevertheless, your favorite Viola podcast idiots do their level best. This is a less granular episode and more of a zooming-out, higher-level (for us, so it's all relative) look at the club as a whole. We talk about the possibility of bringing back Saint Gabriel Omar Batistuta to Florence in an official capacity before looking at the org chart and figuring out what it means for the club, then do a quick run-down of the Fiorentina players who're on international duty. The best part, of course, is a chat with the ever-brilliant Massimo Basile (wait, were we supposed to bleep the name?). A long-time friend to the website and the podcast, Massimo gives us his inimitable insight into how Fiorentina's being run right now, what the office hierarchy looks like, and the difference between great ambition and great experience. Along the way, we also learned about some Poland-to-Tuscany Szynanigans, Mike's expertise on chaos, and which former players would and wouldn't make great club employees (and why it breaks Tito's heart). Thanks for listening. If you want to get in touch, hit us up on the website or on Twitter. Feel free to leave us a rating and review on whatever podcast service you listen on, and, as always, Froza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your favorite Fiorentina podcast idiots are back to talk about a slew of topics. We begin with a breakdown of the Viola mercato (spoiler alert: we think there may still be gaps in the squad), then veer into how the team's looked on the pitch (another spoiler alert: not very good!), and wrap up with a discussion about what some possible fixes could be. Oh, and I guess it's worth mentioning that we touch on why Fiorentina owner and president Rocco Commisso is badmouthing our very own Mike McCormack in team press conferences, and how exactly we feel about it. Along the way, we learn about the Samuele Ricci slide whistle, that Mike lives a liquid IV, that Tito is VERY hungover, and that we should never, ever, ever name any names, under any circumstances. We had a blast making this one and hope you enjoy listening. If you want to get in touch with us, hit us up on the website or on Twitter, and feel free to leave a rating (unless you're on Mediacom payroll, in which case maybe don't do that, please). Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's happened. Everybody, it's happened. Fiorentina has played some games (albeit against your sister's boyfriend's cousin's amateur team), so the calcio is officially back and your favorite Viola podcast idiots are back to talk about how that makes them feel. Of course, because we're still at the height of summer, we're also going to run through plenty of transfer rumors while addressing the current state of the squad. Along the way, we learn about Mike's love of sending cheesesteaks through the international postal system, Tito's certainty that he can outplay a bunch of 6-year-olds, and that things on the screen of your cell phone might just be smaller than they are in real life. Thanks as always to Windchime Weather for the music and to Producer Mike for his unwavering, single-fingered support. We had a blast making this one, as always, and hope you enjoy listening. If so, feel free to drop us a rating and/or a review, and get in touch with us either on the website or on Twitter. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oh hello. It's been a minute since we released an episode, but we've got plenty of good reasons: We ran out of gas. We... we had a flat tire. We didn't have enough money for cab fare. Our tuxes didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole our car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! IT WASN'T OUR FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD! (Really, though, blame either Coronavirus or Disney or both.) As you maybe guessed by the title of the episode, we're talking transfers in this one. So yeah, we'll dip into Luka Jović and Pierluigi Gollini and Rolando Mandragora. We'll even talk about Dodô. We'll dive into some of the guys likely edging towards the exit. But, as you'd expect, we're diving in deeper to talk about potential additions, ideal upgrades, and how the squad looks at time of recording. Along the way, we learn about Mike's X-rated tattoo (and why you shouldn't touch that third rail), Tito's insatiable lust for more blasphemy, and Gollorius. Oh, Gollorius. You're the best. If you want to get in touch, you can find us on the website or on Twitter. Feel free to leave us a rating and a review to let us know how we're doing. Hope yall enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed making it. As always, big thanks to Producer Mike for making us sound better than we are and to Windchime Weather for the music. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well, this one isn't perfectly timed. Your favorite Viola podcast idiots recorded this on the Sunday before a certain afternoon at the Luigi Ferraris that devastated Fiorentina's European aspirations in the most brutal way possible, so our emotional and psychological states have, hm, deteriorated since then. On the other hand, maybe some bubbly optimism will help push some of those clouds away, even though our first topic is (sigh) Fiorentina's chances of qualifying for Europe and whether that would determine the overall success of this season. We also discussed the situation of Fiorentina's strikers, debating Arthur Cabral's role and possible reinforcements in the summer before veering into another topic that's a bit of a bummer: why the Viola play both up and down to whatever team they're facing that day. The highlight, however, is a conversation with Danny Penza, our favorite (only?) Juventus-supporting friend and boss of Black & White & Read All Over. We chew over what's working and not working for the Bianconeri with a view to figuring out what match day 38 might bring. Along the way, we learned that Mike is absolutely fearless in the face of jinxes, that Tito is ready to post advertisements for a big lad, and that maybe Juve should avoid Brazilian midfielders surnamed Melo. We hope yall enjoy listening to this one as much as we enjoyed making it. If so, leave us a rating on whichever service you're listening on, and feel free to reach out to us on the website or via Twitter. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we languished in the international break, your favorite podcast idiots decided that, since there's not much happening with Fiorentina, we'd open the floor to the audience, and boy howdy did yall deliver. With Producer Mike's help, our conversation ranged from the Primavera to Fiorentina Femminile's struggles to possible transfer targets to the Coppa Italia and beyond. And we even had Serie A answer a question about when that Udinese game would be rescheduled, so that was nice. We also threw in a little conversation about Arthur Cabral, because who doesn't want to talk about Arthur Cabral? Along the way, we learned that Mike has some interesting marriage counseling options, that Tito might've missed a day or two in podcasting school, and that one of your hosts is pretty plugged into the severed toe market. We hope you enjoy listening to this one as much as we enjoyed making it; if so feel free to leave us a review. You can also get in touch with us on the website or on Twitter. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're back, Viola fans, and we're ready to talk about all the Fiorentina stuff that we didn't think was going to be a downer before we started recording this but realized that, wow, we sound pretty grim here. Yep, that means we're chatting about that Juventus game and Dušan Vlahović's return to Florence, but we're also commemorating Davide Astori (sempre con noi) on the fourth anniversary of his passing, looking at Fiorentina's chances the rest of the way, and trying to figure out what's going on with this roster right now. Along the way, we learned that Mike isn't made at his former large son (although he is very disappointed), that Tito will fight anyone who's mean to Lorenzo Venuti, and which of your favorite Fiorentina podcast idiots is the big spoon. After that, we had a chat with former Viola Nation boss and current rock star (who just dropped an album that you should listen to and buy!) Lorenzo Landini, who's smart and funny and talented and probably too good to be hanging out with us. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed making it. Feel free to reach out to us on the website, on Twitter, or through email (sbn [dot] viola [dot] nation [at] gmail [dot] com), and, as always, Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been a minute since we recorded one of these, so let's dive into it. Your favorite Fiorentina podcast idiots have their plates full. The conversation begins with a discussion of the winter transfer window and how the Viola did in it, and yes, we did mention Dušan Vlahović once or twice. That took us to the Coppa Italia, where we remained pretty giddy after a famous victory, and even managed to engage in some rare optimism while looking at the prospects for the rest of the season. Along the way, we learned what Mike's secret word was (prizes to anyone who can guess it (not really)), that Tito isn't very confident in his Albanian pronunciation, and that botflies are a good reason to panic. We hope you enjoy listening to this one as much as we enjoyed making it, and if you want to get in touch with us, you can find us on the website or on Twitter. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well, will you look at that? You blink and all of a sudden half of January's just gone. Normally, we'd be worried that Fiorentina wasn't going to buy anyone to reinforce a talented but flawed squad, but the arrivals of Jonathan Ikone and Krzysztof Piątek had us feeling pretty good about the men's team, while the arrivals of Vero Boquete and (still can't believe this is real) Valentina Giacinti have the women's team looking like maybe the best attack in league history, even if missing out on the chance to bring back Alia Guagni stings. The only fly in the ointment (at least at time of recording, which was the day before a certain abomination against Torino) was the byzantine complexity of postponements, double postponements, and whatever the league office is up to in the shadows. We're pretty sure it's nothing good, but that's just a hunch. Along the way, we learned that Mike's had a pretty scary couple of weeks, that Tito still can't figure out how to turn Serie A into an adjective--Serie A-ian? Serie A-esque?--and that we've finally found the best spot for a certain Russian striker, and it's behind the woodshed. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed making this one. Feel free to get in touch with us via the website, on Twitter, or even by email (sbn [dot] viola [dot] nation [at] gmail [dot] com), and feel free to leave us a rating on whichever platform you use to listen. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're doing a weird one here, as two-thirds of your favorite podcast idiots are unavailable at the moment. Which ones are missing, and why? Which one's still shrieking unintelligibly into a microphone? Well, you've got to listen to find out. That's how the podcasting business works. The remaining podcast idiot glances at the weird Andrea Barzagli story before running through the Moise Kean deal and looking for clues about the future of Fiorentina's defense, with a little bit of Nicolò Zaniolo chat thrown in for good measure. After that, it's a villainous monologue about what Fiorentina can learn from Italy's performance at the Euros before a glance at how the Viola Primavera break through. Thanks as ever to the Sport Social Podcast Network for hosting us, and to Windchime Weather for the theme music. Also, Nate (the man behind Windchime Weather) has a new project called Friends Friends that's rad as hell. Give it a listen. As usual, get hold of us on the website or on Twitter with any questions. We had a blast making this and hope you enjoy listening. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ho ho holy smokes, we're just about at the end of 2021. As a belated holiday present, how about a podcast retrospective over the past year, and especially over the team since one Vincenzo "Cousin Vinnie" Italiano took the reins? We'll look at the best and worst moments--and yes, a certain game against some Notts County cosplayers features prominently--but, because there's nothing else you can talk about this time of year, we also dive into the mercato. That means predictions galore, which are always fun for us to make and for you to roast us for in another month. The stars of the show, though, are ultra-talented VN staff writers Nick di Gruccio and Ben Lualdi, who braved the weather, the time zones, and a faulty internet switch (no, really) to share their thoughts on the season that was and that still is. Along the way, we learn that Mike is nosing in on Tito's regular bit and that Tito may never recover. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed making this one. Feel free to get in touch with us via the website, on Twitter, or even by email (sbn [dot] viola [dot] nation [at] gmail [dot] com), and feel free to leave us a rating on whichever platform you use to listen. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might not know this about your VN staff, but we’re usually a little behind the times. It’s why McMike’s got an endless supply of 1990s movie references and why all Tito's music is from 2006 or earlier. It’s also why we’re only just getting this post-Cagliari episode of the podcast out right now (okay, that’s actually entirely on Tito, so direct any irritation his way and not towards the Mikes, please). Anyhow, we had a rollicking good time on this one. We opened up with a chat about the Cagliari game, trying to figure out what went right (hint: it’s the Saponaraissance) and how Fiorentina can keep it going. We then pivoted to a conversation about Dušan Vlahović’s future—hopefully not with Juventus—and how Rocco Commisso’s handled it before wrapping up with a back-and-forth about what (if anything) the brass has learned from this whole fiasco. Along the way, we learned that there may be a new addition to Mike’s wine Mount Rushmore, that Tito really really can’t speak Swedish, and that it’s great when the Viola have already messed everything up, because that means there’s nothing left to mess up. We’d also like to highlight McMike’s anniversary (aaaawwwwww) and thank Judith for lending him to us. We’d also like to point everyone in Producer Mike’s direction; he’s had a hell of a couple of weeks and deserves everyone’s best thoughts. As always, we had a blast making this and hope you enjoy listening to it. Special thanks to Windchime Weather for the music. If you want to get in touch with us, you can hit us up on the website, on Twitter, or via email (sbn [dot] viola [dot] nation [at] gmail [dot] com. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A back-and-forth game that results in yet another encouraging loss against a top team. A wantaway superstar. Despicable stupidity from the fans. It's pretty much just another day in the life of a Fiorentina fan, and your favorite podcast idiots are here to break it all down for you. We start with a discussion of the loss against Napoli and then move onto a look at where the Viola are at this point in the season (spoiler: it's better than last year) before moving on to a conversation about what's happening with Dušan Vlahović and his contract. Then we wrapped up with the most disappointing topic imaginable: the racism that Fiorentina fans displayed against Partenopei star Kalidou Koulibaly and what has to come next. Along the way, we learned about Mike's chocolate milk tolerance, Tito's hedgehog memories, and how to ensure Fiorentina stop playing with ten men. We hope you enjoy listening to this one as much as we enjoyed making it. Feel free to hit us up with questions or comments on Twitter, email, or on the website, and feel free to leave us a rating on whatever podcasting service you're using. Thanks and Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After knocking off Genoa, Fiorentina made it three wins in a row, which means we got to see our first Viola win streak in almost exactly two years. That's exactly the kind of minor trivia to which your intrepid hosts will never overreact, which is why we kept our heads and absolutely, positively did NOT succumb to any sort of giddiness. And yeah, we recorded this before the Inter Milan game, so just imagine how that ended for us. (Not well.) Along the way, we learned that Mike’s happiness is inversely proportional to Fiorentina’s, Tito will geek out about world class number 10s turned librarians, and why being on a boat with Vincenzo Italiano might be a bad idea. We hope you enjoy listening to this one as much as we enjoyed making it. We'd love to hear from you on the website or Twitter, and feel free to leave a rating on whichever service you found us on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello there. You look ravishing. Can I ask you a question? Did you know that FIORENTINA IS BACK, BAYBEE? Yep, we're talking about Viola games again, and it feels so good. Because this is Fiorentina, of course, it can't be all good, and that game, of course, is a (very referee-influenced) opening day defeat at Roma. Still, your humble narrators manage to drag some positives out of the affair before turning to the ongoing mercato and venturing some typically well-considered opinions that aren't the result of horrified emotional flailing. Don't worry, though, because our next step was a chat with the brilliant Simone Rosadi (Instagram and Facebook) of the Viola Club Gli Ingestibili Prato, who's been a friend of the site for quite some time. Along the way, we learned that Mike's high school fashion is cycling back around, that Tito's got some thoughts on jiggery-pokery, and that your favorite podcast idiots are perfectly happy to spend Rocco's money. We had a blast recording this episode and we hope that you enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it. And, if it's up to snuff, go ahead and throw us a rating on whatever platform you're listening on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fiorentina have finished the Moena portion of their preseason, so now it's time for your resident podcast idiots to dive into what it all meant (and, more importantly, what it didn't mean (which is everything (or nothing (or just too many parentheses)))). From the tactical approach to the mentality to the roster, we touch on just about everything and even make some really, really hopeful predictions that will all absolutely come to pass and make us all very happy, thanks. From there, it's time to talk about the transfer market because there's no way not to at this time of year, even though we pretty quickly realized that there isn't much going on there besides the purgatory of contract renewals. That's we we moved onto the mailbag and answered listener/reader questions, which is always a blast. Along the way, we learned about Mike's new prescription muscle relaxer cocktail, Tito's heretofore unsuspected ability to make 90s pop cultural references, and what that Fiorentina lion mascot is up to. As always, this was a blast to make and we hope you enjoy it. Big thanks, as ever, to Producer Mike and Windchime Weather. If you've got any comments/concerns/questions for us, hit us up on Twitter or on the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summer is generally the most optimistic time of year for Fiorentina fans, so we decided to record a happy podcast. And naturally, Giancarlo Antognoni's departure from the club means that we get to start with a lot of sadness. As we lead into a new-look Fiorentina Femminile's prospects for upcoming season, we stayed kind of sad. It wasn't until we started getting into what's going on at Moena that we began to perk up a little bit; by the time we were chatting about transfers, we were nearly buoyant. That definitely got us into the right headspace to talk with Europa Viola founder and friend of the site Massimo Lelli, who took time out of his vacation for some Viola conversation (there were some connectivity issues, so apologies for anything getting garbled). Along the way, we learned why McMike is on Producer Mike's death list, that Tito can't keep himself from descending into giggles when reading Patrizia Panico's playing stats, and that "talking about talking about" contract renewals is about as meta and Fiorentina as you can get. As always, it was a blast making this episode and we hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it. Feel free to get in touch with us at Viola Nation, on social media, or at sbn dot viola dot nation at gmail dot com. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last time we recorded one of these, Fiorentina had just hired Gennaro Gattuso and looked to be in a great place. It was very nice of everyone involved to blow that sky high and give your humbled podcasters so much to work with as we sort through the pieces. It's not all bad news, though, because the arrival of Nicolás González and the return of Riccardo Sottil mean that there's plenty of good news. And we wrapped up this episode by answering a host of questions from the folks who listen to us or read our stuff on Viola Nation, ranging from the hopeful to the despairing to the utterly left field. Along the way, we learned that Mike has a 90s movie reference for every situation, that Tito probably should've installed air conditioning in his bunker, and about the true nature of Alexandr Kokorin. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed making this one. Feel free to reach out to us on the site or on Twitter. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This thrice-accursed season is over, so Mike and Tito pull on their latex gloves and begin the autopsy, discussing what went right (a few things), what went wrong (everything else), and what we learned (???). That segued into a conversation about the upcoming season, which got us both a lot more bubbly than we normally are as we discussed the hiring of Gennaro Gattuso and what his arrival means for the club. We rounded this episode off with a fantastic conversation with international journalistic man of mystery Massimo Basile, who is as wonderful in person as he is in print. Along the way, we learned about Ringhio and Rocco's relationship, learning curves, and how to hide on a train in Bologna--a crucial skill for the traveling fan. We hope you enjoy listening to this one as much as we enjoyed making it. Special thanks to Producer Mike, who, well, produces the show, and Windchime Weather, who provide the theme song. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your favorite Fiorentina podcast idiots are back in the saddle. This time around, Mike and Tito wrap up relegation watch for the year, break down Rocco's extraordinary meeting with the press, discuss some rumors (which may have become reality!) and club staffing issues, and highlight some recent standout performers. Next, they chat with Giants Being Lonely star (streaming now on Amazon Prime!) and Fiorentina superfan Amalia Culp about the city of Florence, the Venice Film Festival, and all kinds of fun stuff. Along the way, we learn that Mike has some truly frightening medical analogies for happiness, that there’s nothing more Fiorentina than being too hungover to eat lunch, and that you don’t always get to keep your head. As always, thank you for listening. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it, and feel free to get in touch with us any time at Viola Nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've lived, laughed, and cried. We've gone through helium-sucking highs and survived the dark night of the soul, and we've come out the other side. That can only mean one thing: it's time for your favorite Fiorentina podcast idiots to dive into the transfer rumors that summer always brings. After a quick rundown of the Viola players on international duty, we fully embrace the mercato. We start with the current squad, looking at players who are certainly departing or likely to do so, but that's just the appetizer. The primi and secondi piatti here are all the names the rumor mill has spat up. We analyze them, decide if they're realistic targets, and then rule on whether they'd be smart additions. Along the way, we get the return of McMike's 1990s Movie Corner, which former New York Mets pitcher's house Producer Mike is squatting in and/or being escorted out of, and which of our intrepid heroes really likes the Big Boys. Big thank you to Windchime Weather for the theme music and to the Sport Social Podcast Network for hosting us. Get in touch with us on the website or on Twitter with any questions. As always, we had a blast and hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed making it. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even though the season's winding down, there's more than enough Fiorentina stuff for Mike and Tito to discuss. This one runs through the Primavera winning their unprecedented third straight Coppa Italia despite hovering around the relegation zone; the usual Relegation Watch, with some bonus content about who's going down; a vintage Mike rant about the quote-unquote stadium refurbishment that the Firenze government is planning; a few standout performers; and, of course, a rousing round of reader questions. Here's hoping you enjoy it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back, everyone. Mike and Tito return to discuss BeppeBall 2.0 and (of course) the continuing relegation battle. More importantly for this podcast, they also introduce Producer Mike; we'll give you one guess as to what he does. After running through possible managers and sporting directors for next season, our intrepid hosts have a conversation with Niccolò Misul, editor-in-chief of fiorentina.it. You're not going to find a better-spoken or more insightful voice in the Fiorentina media universe, so you definitely don't want to miss him. And, because this is Viola Station, you know that you're going to get a truly inexplicable extended metaphor in there. Trust us, this one's a doozie. Feel free to get in touch with us at Viola Nation or on Twitter, and thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're back and we're mostly here to discuss Mike's Large Adult Son, Dušan Vlahović, on the back of his first professional hat trick. We also touch on Stefano Borgonovo, whose birthday was last week (to learn more about him, visit the Fondazione Stefano Borgonovo); Sebastien Frey, who also had a birthday; and the immediate future of Fiorentina, including relegation and what lies beyond season's end. Along the way, we’ll learn that Mike has a slightly selfish motive for getting Vlahović signed to a new contract, that Tito needs to be a lot smarter about swearing haircut oaths, and that sometimes you don't get a guest on this podcast. Sorry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, faithful listener(s?). We're back to bring you another episode of your favorite clueless narrators discussing all things Fiorentina. This time around, we're talking about new managers--particularly Maurizio Sarri, but also a number of other options--and new sporting directors. We also discuss the team's relegation prospects, some notable Viola birthdays, Mike and Tito's Wine Variety Hour, and who should be part of the core group going forward before seguing into a chat with the legendary Giancarlo Rinaldi (he's written books!), who is the world's preeminent English-language Fiorentina authority, to get his thoughts on the miserable situation in which the Viola find themselves. Along the way, we also learn about Mike’s Gen X cold open, Tito’s inability to pronounce German wines, and the inspiration for Giancarlo’s haircut. We had a blast recording it, so we hope you enjoy listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well hello there. It's been awhile since we've posted one of these, largely due to some technical difficulties that we've since conquered. If you really want the authentic experience, just imagine that you've stepped into a time machine and have been transported back to early January 2021. Too close to 2020 for you? Yeah, we don't like it either. What we do like is talking about the January transfer window, our New Year's resolutions (which we might actually keep), and, more than anything, chatting with Dr. Massimo Balestri, who's about as lovely a man as you could ever hope to meet and has forgotten more about Fiorentina than we'll ever figure out. Along the way, we learn that Mike remains the king of analogies, Tito remains amazed by that as ever, and that the good doctor has some Maradona stories. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Viola Station is back. This time around, your intrepid hosts Mike and Tito get seasonal in discussing what Fiorentina-related things they're thankful for, answer listener questions (with a big assist from the lovely and talented Lauren) that range from the tactically detailed to the utterly absurd, and dive into what they've gleaned from Prandelli's first two games in charge. Along the way, we learn that Mike doesn’t work for the Tourist Board of Tuscany (but they know how to reach him if they're hiring), that Tito’s bunker eerily resembles the final scene in the classic Patrick Swayze film Ghost, and that Mike and Tito have no clue how to wrap up a podcast in a constructive fashion. Come for the Fiorentina chatter. Stay for the buffoonery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your favorite Viola Nation knuckleheads are back with another episode. This time, Mike and Tito discuss the recent run of poor form, the transfer window, and club management with each other and then with FiorentinaNews Editor-in-Chief Stefano del Corona. Along the way, we learn that Tito's never going to slip an Eddie Murphy Delirious reference past Mike, Stefano is more Cincotta than Iachini, and that volleyball in Florence is bigger than you ever imagined. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been a little while but Viola Station rides the airwaves again. This time, your intrepid hosts discuss the Inter Milan game (we recorded this in late September but, due to some issues on the production end, we didn't get released until a couple weeks later) and what exactly went wrong. More importantly, though, Mike and Tito dive into the mess surrounding Fiorentina's new stadium with a lot of help from the best cardiologist we know: Dr. Nicola Corvaja. The native Florentine has his ear to the ground back in Tuscany and knows the exact pulse of the city better than just about anyone, from the fans in the Curva Fiesole all the way up to Rocco Commisso himself. As a bonus, takes a couple of dives into local history to scratch that itch you didn't know you had for Guelph-Ghibelline politics and how they apply to local politics today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Viola Nation's Mike and Tito are back to talk all things Fiorentina. This one starts with some birthday wishes for someone who brought a lot of joy to Florence before moving through some new arrivals to the club and a few guys who could follow suit. That naturally leads to a discussion about Daniele Pradè's transfer strategy (spoiler alert: we think he's a lying liar), and then into an update on the stadium situation from Mike. Our intrepid hosts then cycle through Fiorentina Femminile's surprisingly tight 3-2 win over local rivals Florentia before wrapping things up with an introduction of new signing Abby Kim, who's going to be awesome. Along the way, we learn that Mike's cinematic references range from Dorothy Garland to John Cena, that Tito does not believe in science, and that these guys should not Freaky Friday themselves into each other's jobs. We hope you have half as much fun listening to this as we did making it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So this is pretty incredible. Mike and Tito had a conversation with Fiorentina Femmenile manager Antonio Cincotta (follow him on Twitter and Instagram) to talk about the transfer market, his tactical vision, and the upcoming season. Along the way, we learned how fans fuel the team, the importance of positive thinking, and that Cincotta's Kitchen would hands down be the best cooking show on television. And while we already knew that he was the world's coolest and most supportive boss, this episode should just reinforce that knowledge. It was such a pleasure to talk with someone who's smart, creative, compassionate, and better at his job than just about anyone in the world. Thank you, Antonio! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The end of the Serie A season can only mean one thing: your three favorite Fiorentina podcast idiots stretching their hearts and minds over the 3-front campaign and figuring out what it all means. We each pick standout performers and try to dredge some conclusions out of a typically unhinged Viola year. We also bid a fond farewell to Vincenzo Italiano and look ahead to Raffaele Palladino. Along the way, we get to (?) learn about McMike's Tina Turner legs, hear Producer Mike refute the tenets of linear algebra, and get a brief insight into Tito's pre-podcast life through a Paulo Sousa lens. Feel free to get in touch with us on the website or on Twitter. Big thank you to Windchime Weather for the music and to the Sport Social Podcast Network for hosting us. As always, we had a blast making this and hope you enjoy listening. Forza Viola! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you ready to hear Mike and Tito get excited about Fiorentina Femmenile picking up Inter Milan, crumpling them into a small ball, and nonchalantly tossing them into the wastebasket? If so, this episode is for you. There's also a discussion about the new jerseys, a lot of chatter about possible defensive reinforcements, and, most importantly, a conversation with Viola Club Israel founder and all-around excellent person Yotam Shavit (alias Hesanka). Along the way, we learn that Mike may or may not know a guy who knows a thing or two about some stuff (but he can’t really say for sure one way or the other, you know), that there are circumstances under which Tito will pedal a bicycle built for two all by himself, and that Hesanka isn’t not NOT denying that he’s a vampire but that he certainly isn’t a pirate. Buckle up and enjoy the usual Fiorentina-themed banter, jokes, and hopelessly over-excited discussion, because that's exactly what you're getting here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've got a sneaky surprise episode for you here, although the bad news is that Mike couldn't make it for this one. On the plus side and for the first time ever, we assembled the SB Nation Serie A blog idiots--that's David from Serpents of Inter, Geoffrey from the AC Milan Offside, Bren from Chiesa di Totti, and Danny from Black and White and Read All Over--for a chat about this past season. We covered the best and worst moments, best players, biggest flops, the refereeing, and what we're excited about for next year, among some other tasty podcast stuff. Along the way, we got some excellent banter between some folks whose feelings about each other's teams ranges from disdain to loathing, We also learned that David will vanish from the podcast but reappear just in time to fire shots at Milan, Geoffrey has the best-sounding voice out of the group, Bren is ready to replace Pau López so long as he gets his hockey pads, and that Danny definitely hates Cristiano Ronaldo and that you should all express your feelings about that in the BWRAO comments. In short, it was a blast to make and we're hoping that you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 2019-2020 season has, after what feels like a full decade, finally come to a halt. Mike and Tito return to take a look at what exactly transpired and what it all means. Along the way, Tito nearly goads Mike into jumping across the desk and choking him for insulting Mike's large adult son; Mike most definitely does not suggest vandalizing a government employee’s house, nope, definitely not, and our legal department had nothing to do with this statement at all; and we get our first-ever Viola Station bleep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whoops, it's Tuesday and not Monday, but that doesn't change the fact that Viola Station is back. Mike and Tito spend a bit of time talking about Fiorentina's game against Hellas Verona and a certain mercurial young winger, but they're mostly focused on Fiorentina Femmenile, talking through the current state of affairs at the club, particularly the high profile departures and possible arrivals. They wrap up by chatting with Steph of the AC Milan Offside, Sempre Milan, and Unusual Efforts; she is both really cool and also knows so much about women's soccer in Italy. Along the way, we learn that Tito looks like Martín Cáceres from the hairline up, that we're talking about the Macarena in the year 2020, that Mount Doom has a very specific use in Serie A, and that Mike can record an entire podcast WHILE HOLDING A BABY. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices