Thierry Henry looks happy in NYC. (Andy Mead / MLSsoccer.com)

Thierry Henry is really enjoying life in the Big Apple. As the league gets ready for the All-Star game this week, Henry and others are out doing the whole PR thing in the city. This photo came from a small set over on the league's Facebook page.

Okay, here's an in-depth look at the All-Star Game, and what it means in the grand scheme of things for MLS. As I explain in great detail, the product of a significant amount of work and research on my part, the All-Star Game provides Major League Soccer with a oh crap, they fired Bob Bradley
Okay, the lull between the Gold Cup and World Cup qualifying provides Gulati, Flynn and the federation with a chance to make a detailed, measured search for a coach who truly addresses the needs of our team.

Here's photo of Russell Simmons and Maxwell in one of the skyboxes at the All Star game and it pretty much sums up the scene in the suite level last night at Red Bull Arena: moneyed people much more famous than you or I with Blackberries and wine glasses at the ready. Oh and models. Lots of models.

Damn Charlie Davies, you just put the c***block on the All Star Game announcement. Well no, you didn't at all actually --Steven Goff maybe did just a 'lil bit though-- but news of your possible move to D.C. United dropping about 10 minutes after the All Star Game announcement was like a clusterbomb of MLS-related Twitlines.

Natalie Smid, Springfield Catholic (2011) with the clearance

The Missouri Soccer Coaches Association has released their All-State Girls squads for the 2011 Spring Season. Congratulations to local representatives who will play in the All-Star game on Thursday Natalie Smid, Shelby Hatz, Andrea Parker, Amanda White, Carsen Baron, Rebecca Mayus, Emily Ortega.

2006 All-Stars from Joplin and Neosho

The 7th Annual All-Star game is being played at the Greenwood Stadium Field at the Cooper Soccer Complex Thursday June 23rd. There will be two games, a Girls game beginning at 6:00 pm followed by the Boys game at 8:00 pm.

The rosters for the game have just been released with a new color scheme this year.

Unsurprisingly no one from the New England Revolution was named to the MLS All-Star First XI announced today. Western Conference-leading Los Angeles Galaxy and Eastern Conference-leading New York Red Bulls combined for seven of the players voted onto the All-Star First XI by the fans. The All-Stars will face off against Manchester United on Wednesday, July 27th at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.

Today MLS announced the Starting XI for this year's All Star game against Manchester United on July 27th in New York. The Starting XI was dominated by New York and LA players. But there will be at least one Sporting KC player in New York for the game. Sporting KC defender, Matt Besler has been selected to the All Star team as the winner of of the AT&T Text Voting Winner.

How hard it must be for baseball in America right now. Ongoing sagas with the Dodgers and the Clemens trial and then a most unspeakable tragedy of the fan falling headfirst for a foul ball, it really can't get much worse for baseball. There's sadness at every turn, including an all-star game that is not relevant at all.

Today in Seattle Sounders camp there were a few notable items. In addition to the numerous trialists, to include Mrisho Ngassa, in training today. Tomorrow we'll find out if more will get a longer look, as some were necessary so the starters could do regeneration and the rest of the team could scrimmage.

Ahead of the MLS All-Star Game, Bobby Convey spoke with MLS Reserves. Convey was selected to the All-Star roster for the second consecutive year. He's been consistently effective for the San Jose Earthquakes as both a left back and a midfielder. San Jose has only lost twice in its last 13 matches and Convey's efforts have played a huge role in that.

Fun and games at the All-Star Game: David Beckham and Thierry Henry share a laugh Monday while practicing for Wednesday's game (AP Photo).

Regular readers know I'm no fan of the MLS All-Star Game, an American sporting tradition that has no place in a global game. And after some of the antics and overall performances we've seen recently at games between MLS clubs and foreign opposition, combining the All-Star game with an exhibition against Manchester United is just combining two bad ideas.

Ex Miami Fusion captain and current Fort Lauderdale Strikers Assistant coach Jim Rooney was our guest last night on Miami Ultras Alive.
Rooney was gracious enough to answer our questions about his Fusion days, including a number of anecdotes concerning Ray Hudson's underwear and a his own sports bra (In tribute to Brandi Chastain's World Cup goal) inspired celebration during the MLS All Star game.

Photo Credit: Drew HallowellIf there were two people that made the Major League Soccer needle move for non-soccer fans and the casual ones, it was David Beckham and the child-prodigy, Freddy Adu. Problem is... over the years both have been incredibly disappointing, and dare we say, busts.
Until now.

Back during MLS Cup weekend, a rumor surfaced that KC was one of the finalists for hosting the 2011 All Star game, and the rumored opponent was going to be Spanish giant, Barcelona. Today the same person, Steve Davis posted again about the rumor, saying that both Barcelona as the opponent and KC as the host was continuing to gain steam.

Major League Soccer announced this morning that Red Bull Arena will host the annual All-Star Game this July. The mistake they made was letting it be known yesterday that they would make "a major announcement" this morning. Of course, this wasn't "major" enough for MLS fans, including some jagov from Seattle named Robert Carella, who weighed in on the Algonquin Round Table that is the Facebook-linked comments on MajorLeagueSoccerSoccer.

I know I was pretty excited to hear about this so called, "major announcement" that the MLS would be revealing yesterday morning at 10AM EST. A few of us on this site had even kicked ideas back and forth on what could be announced. Maybe a new TV contract? Maybe announcement of the long rumored New York Cosmos re-invention (you know, so they could actually pay the people they have already hired for working on a real, non-imaginary team)?

Photo: Paul Rudderow

Union

Alejandro Moreno discusses his departure from the Union. Clearly hurt at being let go, he is nevertheless one class act and ever the gentleman. Which you knew already after listening to the interview KYW and the PSP did with him on the Philly Soccer Show.

Contributing Editor Graham Fox
On Friday I got the chance to talk to Tony Meola on the phone for about 15 minutes as he was driving around New Jersey.
If you are going to the Argentina V. USA game tonight bring your memorabilia to the game. Tony will be outside in the AllState Fan Zone from 4-6 signing autographs, taking pictures, and kissing babies.

And then there were 108.

MLS released its All-Star Game ballot Wednesday afternoon, after a group of 30 media members, spread across each MLS market, nominated six players per team. The top six leading vote-getters from each of the 18 teams make up the 108-person ballot.

Fans can vote for the "First XI," although the fans' selections won't necessarily all start the All-Star Game.

MLS released the fan balloting component of the 2011 All-Star Game voting. Fans have until 11:59pm ET on July 5th, 2011 to vote for their favorite players in hopes they will represent the league against Manchester United on July 27th at Red Bull Arena.

Yay...that's a sarcastic yay since sarcasm tends not to show up well in written form.

The new MLS All Star game rules state that teams can now only have 6 players up for selection in the fan vote for the All Star game. Today the list of candidates was released, including the Sporting KC 6 players. The KC players are Davy Arnaud, Omar Bravo, Matt Besler, Teal Bunbury, Roger Espinoza, and Kei Kamara.

The Missouri Soccer Coaches Association has released their All-State Girls squads for the 2011 Spring Season. Congratulations to local representatives Stevie Heidzig, Jonna Welch and Alex Cantrell, who will also represent their schools in the All-Star game on Thursday evening.

Player of Year Micheller Auer, Notre Dame (STL)
Offensive Player of the Year - Courtney Young, Visitation
Defensive Player of the Year Haley Fritzlen, Notre Dame de Sion
GK of the Year Megan Swanson, St.

Ed Miller, Joplin Eagles with 2011 Seniors

The Joplin Globe offers an update on the High School sports programs with JHS teams face summer of adjustments

"We don't have anything left," Miller said. "It was a total loss. Most of our stuff was in the garage/storage shed up by the soccer field and it was wiped out.

So Toronto FC made quite the splash yesterday with their Designated Player signings of German defensive midfielder Torsten Frings and Dutch striker Danny Koevermans. Both are impressive in their own right, if not a little old at 34 and 32, respectively. Certainly doesn't help MLS's reputation as being a "retirement" league, but I suppose that won't change for a while.

By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jul 7, 2011) US Soccer Players -- In just about three weeks time, Major League Soccer will hold one of its marquee events at Red Bulls Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. The All-Star Game is coming. With it will be the usual gnashing of teeth over the questionable need to play an exhibition in the middle of a long and difficult MLS season.

Having allowed the Portland Timbers to walk into Qwest Field (now CenturyLink Field) and come away with a 1-1 draw on May 14, Sunday's 3 p.m. (CT) rivalry rematch at Jeld-Wen Field is even more significant for the Seattle. Timbers Insiders calls it Love Fest '11

The All-Star First XI, as determined by the fans, will be announced during the ESPN broadcast of of the game Sunday.

Today during half of today's Colorado vs Seattle, commissioner, Don Garber announced the two commissioner's picks for this year's all star game against Manchester United. The two players selected by Garber were New York Red Bulls' Juan Agudelo and Sporting KC's designated player, Omar Bravo. Bravo joins teammate Matt Besler on the All Star team that will play Manchester United on July 27th at Red Bull Arena.

New York Red Bulls striker Juan Agudelo will make his first MLS All-Star Game appearance after being named to the All-Star Team as one of commissioner Don Garber's two selections.

Garber named Agudelo and Sporting Kansas City striker Omar Bravo as his two selections on Saturday.

Their Words It was a little bit of shock, but all I can do is focus on what I do on the field and, if I'm the leading goal scorer at the end of the year, then that's kudos to me for my hard work. Charlie Davies talking to The Washington Post's Steven Goff on missing the All-Star Game. Other Sources Choking on all this tired talk of choking - from The Daily Soccer Fix's.

Here are some scattered business thoughts on the MLS All Star Hub and other items from Major League Soccer's descent on New York. The Hub itself is set in a swanky SoHo building decorated with a clubby feel. Most of the league sponsors are represented through various themed booths in the Hub that offer an array of interactive events.

My prediction, Jack Jewsbury will score Wednesday night in the All Star game!

Springfield native Jack Jewsbury will be making his first Major League Soccer All-Star game appearance in his 9 years in the league. The team will be playing against Manchester United. As captain for the Portland Timbers, he has started in 19 games this season and leads the team in goals and assists.

I wasn't always anti-All-Star Game.
I remember the first one, and how exciting it was. I seem to remember the first half being much better than the second half, but it was a large crowd at Giants Stadium and I thought it was awesome seeing all the league's stars come together for a game. And you had big stars then like Marco Etcheverry, Carlos Valderrama and Jorge Campos as well as guys like Eddie Pope and seeing all of them play on a team was cool.

Good morning. Arguably the most high profile event in Red Bull Arena's short history, the 2011 MLS All-Star Game, kicks off tonight at 8:30PM ET on ESPN2 and Galavision. For those who are interested, you can find all of the information you need on lineups and player availability here. Hans Backe assumes the coaching duties for the MLS All-Stars, while Tim Ream and Thierry Henry are likely to be in the starting XI.

Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America previews the exhibition match between the MLS All-Stars versus Manchester United.
It's been a heady couple of days building up to the MLS All-Star Game, with Coach Hans Backe -- a perfect 2-0 against Manchester United during his stint as a Manchester City assistant -- talking about tactics and film study, and a few players referring to the 5-2 pasting inflicted by Man United in last summer's midsummer classic.

Union

With lone Union representative Faryd Mondragon on a MLS roster coached by and littered with Energy Drinks and other all-too-easy ho-hum selections, not to mention that fact that the Dragon isn't starting, does anyone around these parts really give a toss about the All-Star Game?

At first, the only kind of Philly related All-Star story Union fans seem to be able to expect is a retread of the Beckham/Mondragon meeting at the 1998 World Cup kind of story MLSsoccer.

Well, it's finally here. It's All-Star Game day! ...What? What do you mean you don't really care, because, rather remarkably, the top team in the league's Eastern Conference only has one representative? Oh. Okay then. Fair enough. Your open discussion thread for all things Union, soccer, and unfair snubs (including Jerry Meals).

Tonight's the night of the big game. Well big with respects to marketing and monetary value to the league as a whole. For those of us who are lamenting the fact that key players will be missing from the weekend's squads then it's not at all a good thing. While I hope Jack Jewsbury gets some minutes tonight, I'm certainly hoping it's not so many that he ends up sitting out of Saturday's game.

Tonight, for the seventh consecutive year, a group of the best players in Major League Soccer will take on a foreign opponent that has accepted the invitation to take part in the league's annual All-Star Game. The MLS All-Stars have lost their last two games, but they won the previous four; all six games, as well as tonight's matchup with Manchester United, have taken place against competition from the British Isles.

The Philadelphia Union were able to take the last two weeks at a leisurely pace. They showed well in a couple of friendlies, Faryd Mondragon was the only player to see action in the All Star Game, and the U eased past a struggling New England Revolution. One loss later - just the 5th of the season after 20 games played - they are still top of the table with at least one game in hand over much of the league and the squad remains in the Eastern Conference driver's seat.