Real Salty: Why Has Justin Meram Been So Salty? Is Rubio Rubin All The Way Back?

Real Salty: Why Has Justin Meram Been So Salty?

Utah Jazz @utahjazz

this is for,,, all of Utah 🫡 #TakeNote | @realsaltlake

This Just In: Justin Meram is in a contract year. But over the past 2 weeks the RSL winger has been seen snapping back at:

1. Certain media members

2. Atlanta United FC GM Carlos Bocanegra

3. Teammate Ex-teammate Jaziel Orozco

I’m sure some might see this third piece as part of the game—as their studs dig into the back of your cleat when you’re running with the ball and getting behind their flimsy defense.

Newsflash: Meram sees this tackle from Orozco as a possible career-ender—forget about a game-changer at some scrimmage.

At age 34, Meram isn’t just the oldest player on the team by one year more than Marcelo Silva, the Iraqi international has got a lot more skin in the game [a possible World Cup 2026 slot as well] than does an 18-year-old kid out of contract.

Orozco is trying to win a job in a sea of center backs so that he doesn’t end up at some USL outpost playing on a baseball diamond. [He’s also out of contract.]

[As of early Thursday morning after this podcast went to air, Orozco was sent on loan to Santos Laguna in Liga MX.]

Is Rubio Rubin All The Way Back From Injury?

When you play games against each other week after week, you get sick and tired of it. Resentment sets in.

Teams will play to a stalemate and tie 1-1 like they did at Saturday’s split-squad scrimmage, but one thing has remained constant this preseason: Rubio Rubin is back to his 2021 form. Two goals in two scrimmages.

Tom Hackett @TomCantHackett

Rubio Rubin, assuming that the club doesn’t bring in another striker, will likely be the starting #9 at the start of the season. He will be surrounded by some serious talent. How many goals does he have in him this year do you think? #RSL | @kslsports |

Will he be making ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 this season? Not sure. But Rubin appears to be all the way back from his injury and so that might be why the club let Sergio Cordova’s loan expire. [Oh, by the way, this is a contract year for Rubin.]

Why Can’t RSL Let The Past Go When It Comes To Andy Williams?

Meanwhile, Williams disclosed on Twitter that he applied for an assistant coaching position at Real Monarchs.

Andy Williams @bommadog

I've lived in UT since 2005 and I now consider myself a full blown Utahn. Apart from growing up in Jamaica to this day I still call UT home. I met my beautiful wife @GFr3377 there and it's also still home for her.

[He’s been waiting almost three weeks for a response.]

Nobody knows what’s going on behind the scenes, but no answer is an answer.

We think the manner in which RSL has handled Williams over the past three years has not only been a complete and total disgrace to one of the cornerstones of the club, it’s an insult to someone who could also lend a hand in player scouting.

It’s heartbreaking, and to not have Williams working at RSL smacks of similar treatment incurred by Javier Morales. It also makes you wonder what level of resentment is still held within the club’s front office towards Williams, who was the “smoking gun” that led to Dell Loy Hansen stepping down as RSL owner.

In other news, congratulations are in order for Brian Dunseth, who was hired by Apple TV as a regional analyst during their second round of acquisitions. [David James, his old broadcast partner, was not.]

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