Andrea Canales of Goal.com chatted with Claudio Lopez yesterday about his first season in MLS and what made the Argentine vet want to remain in town. Lopez talked about his decision to come to MLS, the level of play here in the U.S. and his decision to re-join Kansas City this season. Check out the story here.

Let me start out by saying that I will take three points any day, any time, any way. I will take a home win, I will take the first victory of the season, and I will take the clean sheet that came with it.

But that doesn't mean I have to be entertained by it.

We're now seven weeks into the season, with the Galaxy completing game six.

And those words are: That was disappointing.

I admit that I was suckered by the recent 10 game non-losing streak into believing that the technical deficiencies of the team could be compensated for by heart and determination. Even as I wrote about the mediocrity of the midfield, the ability to gain points on the road and refuse to lose got me into the dangerous head space of thinking that the Galaxy could consistently compete with any team in the league.

You need to know what I did when he scored the goal. It's embarrassing, but as you know your verbose blogger has to share these things.

First, a little recap.

First, I screamed. I scared the crap out of my seven-year-old daughter who was scrapbooking in the kitchen.

My husband screamed too but in a more manly way.

I just wrote recently in my column in the Evansville Courier Press about how far American soccer has come since the 1990 World Cup, so it was a pleasant surprise to see Andrea Canales' column on the 1990 US team.
Since that World Cup, I have gotten the opportunity to know a number of the key members of that team.

Excellent US soccer journalist, Andrea Canales has a great interview with the Seattle Sounders FC star in which he reveals the reason he decided to come to MLS. Here is an excerpt:

The 21-year-old Colombian striker, on loan from Deportivo Cali, has been an early revelation for the Sounders, scoring three goals in his first two games.

Yesterday, everybody and their cousin from every corner of the soccersphere linked to the exerpt from Grant Wahl's new book.
On the off chance that you missed it, HERE'S DAN'S TAKE, complete with exerpts that more or less prove what we all more or less were saying, ie. that a) Beckham's people were calling the shots in LA and b) Beckham wasn't exactly busting his hump out there.

On the heels of the worst World Cup result of a USA under-20 team in over a decade, Goal.com's Andrea Canales reports that a transition in development in Bradenton, Florida and the lack of an MLS reserve league could be the root of these problems.
I wasn't terribly surprised when the USA under-20 team, a squad where many members do not see regular playing time (partly as a result of MLS having no reserve league right now), had its worst performance of the World Cup against a South Korea team known for speed and fitness.

Phillies won, Red Sox won .. and I've got the Slingcatcher hooked up and working in Dewd's room!

Meanwhile, the Breakers will be honoring soccer great Maren Meinert at the game with the Freedom on May 17th at Harvard Stadium. WUSA fans remember her fondly as a key ingredient in the Breakers' success - most especially in their final year (with Pia coaching).

A sight that makes me want to drive to Toronto and buy everyone a beer:
What better symbol of what's wrong with MLS' expansion policy than sprinklers running, for the first time ever, in BMO?
Every sweep of those lovely arcs of water makes a mockery of MLS' illusions.

I have been very outspoken in the past in reference to Major League Soccer really dropping the ball in reference to player development by doing away with its Reserve Division.
Andrea Canales from Goal.com wrote an excellent article about not only how the absence of the Reserve Division is stunting the development of the young American professional player, but also negatively affecting our United States Under-20 National team.

An End of Year, Cleaning out some files post

A bit of an older article by Fake Sigi illuminates some of the machinizations that occur beyond the pitch that surround clubs and stadiums.

Bill Archer's post, The End of the Beginning, is a good piece on the labors issues in MLS.

Goal.com named the Breakers' Kelly Smith their Player of the Week for this past week in the newly-minted WPS season - a nice (and well-deserved) honor.

"I have to admit, as a long-time Kelly Smith fan, I'm almost inclined to put her name in every week. Though she is nearly always good, she was superlative this week for the Boston Breakers" Goal.

STARTERS
The streak is over. Mexico beats the USA in America for the first time in ages. And Holy Moly did they win! That second 45 minutes was brutal for any USA player or fan. Wow. The first Mexigoal was on a completely bogus Penalty call, and then the dyke colapsyed for our team.

Happy Thursday to you. Mr. Fish here, of The Kin Of Fish fame, coming to you from the town so nice they named it twice, and I'm unbelievably honored that Brucio asked me to step in and do Du Nord while he trudges back from the Azteca. Obviously, the topic at hand is yesterday's Mexico victory over the US, the Yanks' 24th straight winless match South of the border.

Andrea Canales has an excellent little recap with quotes from the people involved.

Canales Daily: The Pleasures Of The Present, At Future Cost Andrea Canales wonders who will step up to the plate and...