Jon has called action for nearly a dozen sports across Division I colleges and conferences up and down the East Coast, but his passion for the beautiful game runs deep. With extensive experience broadcasting professional soccer—including World Cup Qualifiers, the NWSL, and the USL—Jon brings an elite tactical perspective and an insider’s understanding of the American soccer landscape to the show.

Jerry and Jon dive into how his extensive background in the modern pro game ties right back to the legacy and ethos of the New York Cosmos. They discuss the art of calling soccer on the major networks, how the sport has evolved on television, and what the spirit of "Cosmos Country" means to the next generation of soccer media.

Whether you are a die-hard Cosmos fan or a sports media junkie, you won't want to miss this deep dive into the broadcast booth!⚽ Subscribe to Cosmos Country for more exclusive interviews, team history, and soccer discussion!

#NYCosmos #CosmosCountry #SoccerPodcast #ESPNPlus #SportsBroadcasting #ProSoccer Support All Things Mile21 Media by subscribing to the Channel and following along on IG @Mile21Media - And for all your podcasting and rental needs, Follow @Stellar19Studios on IG to rent space to create your own show with Mile21 Media!

Fresh off his move to the Cosmos, Garcia joins Jerry & Jimmy to talk about his soccer journey from Texas to the professional ranks, his time in the USL Championship and USL League One, and what it means to wear the Cosmos crest. Known as one of the league’s premier shot-stoppers, Garcia arrives in New York as the USL League One all-time leader in penalty saves, earning Player of the Month honors and multiple Save of the Week awards along the way.

Tune in as Javier discusses his path through Rio Grande Valley FC, El Paso Locomotive, Texoma FC, and AC Boise, his competitive mentality as a goalkeeper, and his goals for helping build the next chapter of Cosmos history. Plus, hear what fans can expect from the man tasked with protecting the net for one of soccer's most iconic clubs.

Javier Garcia joins Jerry & Jimmy on Cosmos Country Podcast — available now wherever you get your podcasts! ⚽🧤🎙️

Support All Things Mile21 Media by subscribing to the Channel and following along on IG @Mile21Media - And for all your podcasting and rental needs, Follow @Stellar19Studios on IG to rent space to create your own show with Mile21 Media!

Here are the key takeaways from the May 11, 2026, broadcast:

Team News & Roster Moves

• New Signing: The Cosmos have signed goalkeeper Javier Garcia from AC Boise to help shore up the back line following injuries to other keepers.
• Goalkeeper Depth: With Garcia joining, the team currently has four goalkeepers, including Boris Del Valle, who serves as both a player and the goalkeeper coach.
• Departure: 17-year-old Julian Locker and the team mutually parted ways as he decided to pursue his education and play soccer at Princeton University.

Club Partnerships & Youth Development

Jose Angulo, the head scout and head of youth development, met with local coaches to discuss growing the Cosmos' network. Highlights of this initiative include:

• Educational Opportunities: Training sessions and clinics for local travel clubs and high school coaches.
• Cosmos Cup: Plans for a future tournament to be held at Hinchcliffe Stadium.
• Local Focus: Angulo emphasized that the club’s long-term plan remains focused on building the squad around local talent paired with USL experience.

Pride Night Announcement

The Cosmos announced a major partnership with the historic Stonewall Inn.

• Official Partnership: The Cosmos are now the official soccer club of the venue.
• Pride Night Match: Scheduled for Saturday, June 6, at Hinchcliffe Stadium against Hartford Athletic.
• Special Kits: The team will wear limited-edition Pride jerseys and warm-up gear for the event.

Upcoming Match: Westchester FC

The Cosmos travel to Mount Vernon this Friday at 7:00 PM for a USL Cup group stage match against Westchester FC.

• Players to Watch: The match features two of the league's top scorers: the Cosmos' Spangler and Westchester's Connor McGlynn.
• Potential Rivalry: The hosts noted that while both teams were ranked low in preseason polls, their geographic proximity (roughly 30 miles apart) is quickly turning this into a spirited rivalry.

Fan Giveaways & Merch

• Ticket Giveaway: The podcast is giving away two tickets to the May 27 home game. Fans can enter by following the show on Instagram, subscribing to their YouTube channel (Mile Twenty One Media), and tagging two friends.
• New Merchandise: Official podcast t-shirts are now available through Mile Twenty One Media.

The Cosmos are off to a rocky start, and the vibes at home are... complicated. This week on Cosmos Country, Jerry Cala sits down with the man between the posts, Derrek Chen, to figure out exactly what’s going on with the boys in green.

After a tough loss brings the record to 2-4-1, the fellas don't hold back. Is it just a slow start, or is it time to hit the panic button? 🚨

📺 Inside This Episode:

• The Post-Game Breakdown: Analyzing the latest loss and the current standings.
• Derrek Chen Joins the Show: The Cosmos keeper "raps" with Jerry and Jim about locker room morale and the expectations for the rest of the season. Chan brings up PLENTY about USL, MLS and so much more and gives his perspective on all things United States Soccer! 🧤
• Turning the Tide: What needs to change before the next kickoff?
• BIG NEWS: We are launching our FIRST GIVEAWAY of the season! 🎟️🎟️

🎁 TICKET GIVEAWAY! 🎁

We want to see you in the stands! We are giving away two tickets to an upcoming home match.

How to enter:

1. Listen to the full episode for the secret keyword.
2. Head over to our social media accounts (Twitter/X & Instagram) for the official entry rules and to submit your entry!

Follow Cosmos Country: 🐦 Twitter: [Link] 📸 Instagram: [Link] ⚽️ Subscribe for more Cosmos coverage!

#NYCosmos #CosmosCountry #DerrekChen #USL #SoccerPodcast #NYIsGreen

Via the Cosmos Website: Tristan Stephani joins the New York Cosmos as a goalkeeper with a strong developmental foundation and competitive experience gained through structured academy and collegiate environments. His progression reflects steady growth in high-performance systems that emphasize discipline, technical refinement, and match readiness.

At the collegiate level, Stephani earned consistent minutes through reliability and composure under pressure. Competing against top regional opposition strengthened his shot-stopping instincts and decision-making in high-tempo scenarios. Exposure to pre-professional competition further accelerated his transition into the professional ranks.

Stephani is known for his agility, positioning, and confidence commanding the penalty area. He reacts quickly in one-on-one situations and demonstrates clean handling on crosses and set pieces. Comfortable distributing with both feet, he supports build-up play from the back and contributes to maintaining structured possession.

Beyond his technical attributes, Stephani brings professionalism and focus to the goalkeeper unit. His work ethic and attention to detail align with the Cosmos’ emphasis on preparation and competitive standards. As the club builds depth and resilience for its USL League One campaign, Stephani strengthens the foundation between the posts." Enjoy this fun conversation between the fellas and Tristan!

"After years of experience as an international news agency sports news journalist, I co-founded The Soccer Business - a news, information, data and analysis company dedicated to providing the soccer industry, particularly in North America, with the information and insights needed for growth. I've spent my career covering football and sport all over the world. Starting out as a freelancer in Eastern Europe, I travelled the continent, East and West, researching the best-selling Rough Guide to European Football and writing magazine features and interviews. Then I joined Reuters and spent eight years in Italy covering the triumphs of AC Milan, Juventus and the World Cup winning Italian national team and all the controversies and scandals in Italian football. A switch to Miami, meant a chance to cover a range of different sports, NFL, NBA, PGA golf, ATP and WTA tennis. I covered six Super Bowls, the Masters at Augusta, NBA Finals and cricket in the Caribbean. But soccer remained a major part of my beat as I covered David Beckham's playing career and his creation of an MLS franchise in Miami and the U.S national team's World Cup campaigns in South Africa and Brazil and the World Cup winning women's team. The growth of the soccer business was a key focus. After taking a break from the agency, writing and broadcasting about soccer for the Washington Post, Fusion and Univision and writing about NFL for the Guardian, I returned to Reuters and to England to lead Reuters coverage of the Premier League and Champions League and the business of football in Europe. In October, 2022, I took on a new role with AFP as US Sports Correspondent, returning to Miami with a remit to cover American sport for the rest of the world and was part of the 2022 World Cup team, the Paris Olympics coverage and the Club World Cup. In July, 2025 I co-founded The Soccer Business, producing a weekly newsletter and podcast with ambitious growth plans to develop a broad soccer business information service."

The fellas talk about his career path along with the current USL product and what the Cosmos can do to draw in more fans as the season grows long! Enjoy this very insightful episode! #CosmosCountry #TheSoccerBusiness #USL

Zielonka played in USL League Two for the Hudson Valley Hammers of Newburgh, NY and scored 31 goals across four summer seasons (2022-25), including nine in 2025. He also spent part of spring 2025 with renowned local amateur club New York Pancyprian Freedoms and started two U.S. Open Cup matches, including a first-round upset of MLS Next Pro side FC Cincinnati 2." - From NYCosmos.com - Enjoy!! Let's Go Cosmos!! #NYCosmos #NickZielonka #USL

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Mr. Rossi, 38, also is an investor in NJPS, which is majority owned by Baye Adofo-Wilson, a Paterson, NJ, native, developer, attorney and former Deputy Mayor of Newark, NJ. NJPS will field a men’s team in USL League One beginning in spring 2026 and is planning to launch a women’s pro side in the coming years. Both teams will play at Hinchliffe Stadium, a refurbished 7,800-seat National Historic Landmark in downtown Paterson.

“Giuseppe was a North Jersey kid who grew up in Clifton and dedicated himself to reaching the highest level,” Mr. Adofo-Wilson said. “He represents everything we want North Jersey Pro Soccer to be—a club that offers opportunities to the talented and ambitious young men and women, and boys and girls, of North Jersey and helps them embrace what’s possible.”

Mr. Rossi is the son of Italian immigrants, Fernando and Cleonilde Rossi. He played youth soccer in Clifton and then at 12, moved with his father to Italy to join Parma’s academy. In 2004, Mr. Rossi launched his pro career at Manchester United. Over the next two decades, he played for multiple clubs in England, Spain, Italy and the U.S., enjoying outstanding spells at Villarreal and Fiorentina in particular.

He scored in double digits for four straight seasons at Villarreal (2007-11), including a spectacular 32-goal haul in 2010-11 as El Submarino Amarillo finished fourth in La Liga and advanced to the UEFA Europa League semifinals. Mr. Rossi then scored 17 goals for Fiorentina in 2013-14.

A lifelong dream to represent his parents’ homeland began coming true in 2003 with Italy’s U- 16 team. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Mr. Rossi led the tournament with four goals as Italy reached the quarterfinals. A couple months later, he earned the first of his 30 senior caps in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Bulgaria. Mr. Rossi would go on to score seven goals for the Azzurri—including two against the U.S. in a memorable 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup match—and he captained Italy for the first time in November 2010.

Everything was possible for the kid from Clifton.

Mr. Rossi ended his playing career in 2023 and has returned to North Jersey to help cultivate the next generation of local talent. His native knowledge of the area, his vast experience at soccer’s pinnacle and his array of connections abroad make him the ideal choice to guide NJPS’s sporting operation.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to come home and build teams that represent North Jersey and connect this unique area to the world’s game. I was fortunate to have the contacts I needed to get started. Many players don’t, and too many fall through the cracks,” Mr. Rossi said. “We’re going to field winning teams with local talent, and we’re going to do it at an incredible stadium that I think is going to become an iconic American soccer venue.”

NJPS intends to forge partnerships with area youth clubs that evolve into a comprehensive developmental infrastructure reminiscent of those found around the world. More information on those plans and partnerships will be released in the coming months.

“We’re excited to bring Giuseppe aboard because we think there should be more Giuseppe Rossis. There’s so much potential here in North Jersey,” said NJPS CEO Erik Stover, who previously served as managing director of the New York Red Bulls and COO of the New York Cosmos. “He understands how soccer is supposed to work—how good players are identified and nurtured—and there’s no better place for him to start the next phase of his inspirational career.”

NJPS plans to unveil its team branding on July 10 at Hinchliffe Stadium, and the club will begin accepting membership deposits on July 11. News regarding additional technical hires, including coaches, will be announced when appropriate. " Enjoy!! #GiuseppeRossi #NYCosmos #CosmosCountry

"The United Soccer League (USL) announced that a supermajority of club owners voted to implement a promotion and relegation system, marking a groundbreaking decision that will reshape the future of professional soccer in the United States.

The USL becomes the first professional sports league in the U.S. to adopt this global model, creating an interconnected three-tiered men’s professional soccer system, where teams earn promotion to a higher division or face relegation to a lower division based on their performance during the season. With this historic step, the USL aligns with the world’s top leagues—including the English Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga—where promotion and relegation raises the stakes of every match, drives fan engagement, and elevates the overall competition of the game.

"A new chapter in American soccer begins. The decision by our owners to approve and move forward with this bold direction is a testament to their commitment to the long-term growth of soccer in the United States,” said Alec Papadakis, CEO of the United Soccer League. “This is a significant milestone for the USL and highlights our shared vision with our team ownership to build a league that not only provides top-tier competition but also champions community engagement. Now, just as it is in the global game, more communities in America can aspire to compete at the highest level of soccer. It’s time.”

The USL announced plans to launch a new men's Division One league called "USL Premier," a pivotal step in its vision to establish a fully integrated three-tier professional system. As defined by U.S. Soccer Federation sanctioning standards, Division One is the highest level of professional soccer in the United States. With the USL Championship (Division Two) and USL League One (Division Three) already providing a strong foundation for player development and competition, the addition of USL Premier completes the structure. All three leagues will be interconnected through a structured promotion and relegation system, where more matches matter, rewarding performance and unlocking new opportunities for clubs, players, and fans.

"Promotion and relegation transforms the competitive landscape of American soccer," said Paul McDonough, President and Chief Soccer Officer of the USL. “With the 2026 World Cup and other major international events approaching, we have a unique opportunity to build on that momentum and create a sustainable future for the sport in the U.S. Fans and stakeholders have been clear—they want something different. They’re drawn to the intensity of high-stakes competition, where more matches have real consequences—just like we see in European leagues. This shift challenges the status quo and brings a level of excitement and relevance that can elevate the game across the country.”

More details about the implementation and structure of promotion and relegation will be shared in the coming months."