As we all learned when Nate Miller voiced his displeasure with the USL League One's referees earlier this season, he isn't afraid to share his opinion.
So when the Lansing Ignite coach says they're the most entertaining team in the league, which happened on Thursday, it's worth taking under consideration.
And there are plenty of numbers and anecdotes that back up Miller's claim. The team has won six straight matches -- scoring 20 goals during that run -- and is unbeaten in its last 11 (both USL League One records) as it prepares to host South Georgia Tormenta at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cooley Law School.
Not only is Lansing piling up the wins and the points, but the Ignite are also doing so with an exciting brand of soccer that's scoring goals for fun.
"If you just go watch the highlights of this team, how could you not want to watch a whole 90 minutes," Miller said. "We play incredible football and I just give all the credit to the players. I think we have some outstanding players, but the way in which we play, the speed in which we play, I think it's relevant. And it's something our community can get behind."
There's plenty to play for, too, on Saturday: if Lansing wins and Greenville draws or loses in its match with Toronto FC II on Friday night, the Ignite clinch the No. 2 seed and would host a playoff semifinal match.
If you haven't checked out a Lansing Ignite match yet, here's your chance: Their next four matches are all at Cooley Law School Stadium, with two league matches and two friendlies, one of those against a MLS team.
7 p.m. Saturday vs. Tormenta (league match, $1 Miller High Life beers, replica jersey giveaway to first 1,000 fans, College Night)
7 p.m. Tuesday vs. Chicago Fire reserves (MLS team, friendly, $10 tickets, 50% of ticket proceeds going to Rising Stars to fight opioid crisis).
7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 vs. Livonia CIty (friendly)
3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5 vs. Forward Madison (league match)
"These are the games that matter, so you want to get the community involved and fans out there," said team captain Brandon Fricke. "I think we're playing a really exciting type of soccer right now, scoring a lot of goals, making it fun for the fans. ... We want to keep it rolling."
LIFC adjusts start times around MSU football
Lansing has already changed the start time of one match, moving the regular-season finale - the Oct. 5 home match vs. Madison - from 7 p.m. to 3 p.m. to account for Michigan State University's football game at Ohio State that night, a nationally televised game that starts at 7:30 p.m.
In an interview with "The Morning Show" on the Spartan Sports Network on Tuesday, vice president/general manager Jeremy Sampson said that if Lansing were to host a playoff semifinal match on Oct. 12, the team would try to schedule around MSU's game at Wisconsin, which will start at either 3:30 p.m. or 4 p.m.
Sampson also said there's a chance that semifinal game could be played on Friday, Oct. 11.
Stoneman injured, Cerda cleared
Center back Grant Stoneman, who has started 22 matches this season, will miss his second straight game Saturday after suffering a knee injury on a backline clearance in the 5-0 win over FC Tuscon on Sept. 6.
Central midfielder Ivo Cerda, who had started the previous 23 matches, also didn't play in Saturday's 4-3 win over Chattanooga. Cerda suffered an ankle injury, but Miller said the Chilean will be back for this weekend's match.
Lansing, which had only allowed two goals in the five matches prior to last Saturday's match, had to adjust its starting backline for the first time since July 13. Rhys Williams stepped in for Stoneman, with Kyle Carr starting for Cerda.
"We had some good rhythm going back there," Fricke said. "When Grant goes out, we have to trust the guys that haven't played there to do your job. It does shift things around a little ... but we make the adjustments the week before in training."
Who: South Georgia Tormenta FC at Lansing Ignite
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Cooley Law School Stadium, Lansing
Streaming: ESPN+ (subscription required)
Playoff scenario: Lansing has already clinched a playoff spot. It can earn the No. 2 seed and a home playoff game with a victory and a Greenville loss/draw to Toronto.
USL LEAGUE ONE STANDINGS
Team GP W L D GD PTS
z-North Texas 26 16 5 5 21 53
x-Lansing 26 12 5 9 13 45
Greenville 24 10 7 7 10 37
Madison 25 10 9 6 5 36
Tormenta 25 8 8 9 -3 33
Chattanooga 25 8 8 9 -4 33
Tucson 24 8 9 7 -3 31
Toronto II 24 7 9 8 -3 29
Richmond 24 8 12 4 -9 28
e-Orlando City B 25 3 18 4 -27 13
z-Clinched regular season title
x-Clinched playoff berth
e-eliminated from playoffs
Lansing Ignite clinches playoff spot, beats Chattanooga Red Wolves, 4-3 Tumi Moshobane can't stop scoring goals for Lansing Ignite Love of the sport: A look inside the lives of Lansing Ignite players How Kyle Carr became one of Nate Miller's most trusted players with Lansing Ignite From 'Shark Tank' to playing professional soccer, Elma Nfor is living his American dream