Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON -- This past fall, when D.C. United general manager Dave Kasper contemplated his goals heading into the offseason, two of the first priorities that came to mind were adding veteran leadership and strengthening his team's back line.

There are some stories in life and sports that force us to re-evaluate what is important. This is one of those stories. It is the story of a young man whose courage, determination and heart has touched the lives of professional athletes from all over Major League Soccer and beyond. Evan Mundine, a 13 year old boy from Texas has found a way to connect with athletes in the best ways possible.

There are some stories in life and sports that force us to re-evaluate what is important. This is one of those stories. It is the story of a young man whose courage, determination and heart has touched the lives of professional athletes from all over Major League Soccer and beyond. Evan Mundine, a 13 year old boy from Texas has found a way to connect with athletes in the best ways possible.

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

WASHINGTON -- Perry Kitchen had just about everything including the kitchen sink thrown his way in 2011.

As a rookie, Kitchen started 30 of a possible 34 games for D.C. United, splitting time across three positions.

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

Santino Quaranta likely deserved a less abrupt end to his playing career. Instead, he is getting an unprecedented chance at a new beginning.

After not being offered a new contract with D.

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

After D.C. United and the Chicago Fire had their fair share of defensive struggles throughout the 2011 MLS campaign, the two teams both had a notable silver lining to take away from their friendly Sunday: no goals allowed.

There's nothing quite like the phrase 'Chicago Fire game'. In the cold months of December and January, it can be difficult to remember the team plays these things. It's why the Chicago Fire Soccer Club exists.

Preseason has been in full-swing for over a week, it's time to see strategy in action.

Sporting KC released the names today of their currently trialists that are in camp as the team prepares for preseason training out at the Chiefs indoor training facility. There looks to be some decent talent out there trialing right now, it'll be interesting to see who, if any, travel to Arizona, and which ones potentially make the team.

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

The majority of D.C. United's offseason roster questions have not fully been answered, and as the club's preseason got underway with the first day of training on Wednesday, it is clear that there is plenty to be done before the team takes its final shape.

14. D.C. UNITED
The most successful franchise in the early years of MLS has struggled mightily to find a better stadium situation than it currently has at RFK, and the ongoing frustrations in the nation's capital have caused United to consider perhaps moving to Baltimore. Out-of-town owner Will Chang may or may not be committed for the long haul, and the club is trying to start over from scratch on the field under coach Ben Olsen.

In a move that hardly came as a surprise, D.C. United has passed on the option to buy Charlie Davies' contract from French club Sochaux.

The club announced the decision on Thursday, but it had been clear for months that Davies future didn't lie with D.C. The team is still in talks with Davies about potential options, but if Davies does return to MLS in 2012, it would be on loan to another team in the league and not D.

I know I'm a few days late, but I was not impressed with this MLS cup. People are talking about how great and "best" this LA Galaxy team is. I'm thinking far from it. It has taken 3 years under the "Beckham Experiment," as SI Soccer Analyst Grant Wahl put it, to finally get the MLS Cup final victory (they were there before but ended up losing to Real Salt Lake).

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

The Jay Heaps coaching era in New England is officially underway.

Heaps was introduced as New England Revolution head coach at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, taking over for the ousted Steve Nicol.

Heaps retired from playing for the Revolution in 2009 and was most recently a color analyst for the team's television broadcasts.

Jay Heaps is now the new boss of the New England Revolution (photo via Boston Globe)

It didn't take the New England Revolution that long to find a replacement for Steve Nicol. Today the club announced the hiring of former defender Jay Heaps as their next manager.

The 35-year old Heaps is just two years removed from playing for the Revolution, where he spent 11 seasons.

Congratulations to Jay Heaps, who appears to be the new Head Coach of the New England Revolution.
The former Duke University and New England Revolution standout would succeeds Steve Nicol, as reported in the Boston Globe.
Last Wednesday, Revs president Brian Bilello revealed to MLSsoccer.

UPDATE: Guys, this is real. No official confirmation from the team, but...look, you'll have to trust me. It's real.

By now I'm sure you've all read the big news. The Boston Globe reports that Jay Heaps is set to be named the next New England Revolution head coach.

As Revolution president Brian Bilello's self-imposed 7 day deadline approaches, we here at The Bent Musket wanted to take a look at a few of the "serious" names on the short list of possible candidates. With Paul Mariner re-upping his contract with Toronto FC (amazingly, Mariner re-signed almost IMMEDIATELY after meeting with the Revs) New England was left with only a few truly solid choices that made sense, followed by quite a few question marks.

As Revolution president Brian Bilello's self-imposed 7 day deadline approaches, we here at The Bent Musket wanted to take a look at a few of the "serious" names on the short list of possible candidates. With Paul Mariner re-upping his contract with Toronto FC (amazingly, Mariner re-signed almost IMMEDIATELY after meeting with the Revs) New England was left with only a few truly solid choices that made sense, followed by quite a few question marks.

DC United has a very young roster that Ben Olsen will try to save. (Getty Images)

Moving on today in the expansion draft lists, I really wanted to get to this one yesterday but ran out of time.

DC United just missed out on the playoffs this season. Injuries and poor form down the stretch really hurt them when it mattered most.

DC United has little at stake in this last match, but SKC will win the Eastern Conference with a win and will certainly want make sure they secure home field advantage. However, some United players will literally be playing for ...

Peter Nowak (right) led the U-23 team in 2008 and coached Jozy Altidore (left) at the Beijing Olympics.

Up until and including the 1988 Seoul Games, the Olympic soccer tournament was an unrestricted event, and thus the U.S. Olympic Soccer Team was essentially the U.S. National Team.

Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

The exhausted bodies crumbled to the turf one-by-one after Jair Marrufo's final whistle Wednesday night, the instant when hope was extinguished and reality set in. There will be no MLS postseason for D.

Image Credit: Ben Keller / dcunited.com.

You know an MLS game is a thriller when even we are compelled to find an illegal live feed of the action.

We know it's not much of a consolation prize for a large and vocal pool of American soccer fans, but here's a gratuitous shot of the team's youngish manager, Ben Olsen.

"They're absolutely dead in there. That's the way you want to go down -- every guy basically not being able to walk after the game. I'm proud of that fact."
-- D.C. United coach Ben Olsen, referring to his players in the locker room after a 1-1 tie with Portland eliminated United from the playoff race

DC United Kissed the MLS Cup playoffs goodbye for the fourth straight year with a 1-1 draw with the visiting Portland Timbers. United had a flurry of chances to keep their hopes alive in the final 5 minutes, but it ...

United only has one thing on the agenda tomorrow night in their makeup game against the Portland Timbers, and the same thing for their last game of the season against KC on Saturday. They have to win both games (and ...

The MLS season is down to its final two weeks and while most of the playoff spots are locked up, there is still plenty to play for.

Today's matches will go a long way toward clearing up the playoff picture, particularly which ten teams will be in the post-season. Houston's win against Portland on Friday night pushed the Chicago Fire to the bring of elimination.

Here's a little non-Sounders content that piqued my curiosity. Thanks to two consecutive wins by the Vancouver Whitecaps, for the first time in a very long time they're no longer at the bottom of the MLS table. Instead they've leapfrogged the New England Revolution, who are suffering what is probably the worst season in their occasionally proud history.

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

Much has been made in recent weeks of the games in hand at D.C. United's disposal. But as the club has learned, those extra matches aren't particularly helpful if you lose them.

In what coach Ben Olsen called an "unacceptable performance," United fell 2-1 Wednesday at the Vancouver Whitecaps, dropping crucial points against the league's worst team.

Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

If you had spoken with D.C. United coach Ben Olsen this past offseason and told him centerback Ethan White, a 20-year-old Homegrown Player, would start 19 matches his rookie year, he "probably wouldn't have believed you.

Photo: Courtesy of Philadelphia Union

Union

Peter Nowak on Thursday night's win: "It was a massive step forward toward the playoffs."

Match reports from the Philly Soccer Page, the Union website, the Daily News, the Inquirer, CSN Philly, the Washington Post, Soccer News, the AP, Black and Red United, MLS Talk.

Photo: Courtesy of Philadelphia Union

Union

Peter Nowak on Thursday night's win: "It was a massive step forward toward the playoffs."

Match reports from the Philly Soccer Page, the Union website, the Daily News, the Inquirer, CSN Philly, the Washington Post, Soccer News, the AP, Black and Red United, MLS Talk.

By JOEY SAMUEL

CHESTER, Pa.--In the ever-changing Eastern Conference playoff race, the Philadelphia Union have become the latest team to post a statement win.

A night after Sporting Kansas City made their intentions of winning the East clear with a 2-1 win over Columbus, the Union responded by defeating bitter rivals D.

By THOMAS FLOYD

The last time D.C. United recorded back-to-back league wins, Tom Soehn was the coach, Josh Wicks was in goal, and the attack was led by Ben Olsen, Christian Gomez, Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno.

That was June 2009. Needless to say, a lot has changed for United and now-coach Olsen in the past 27 months, but the lack of any sort of winning streak has continued.

DC United head to PPL Park in Philadelphia to take on the Philadelphia Union in match that could easily have crucial implications on the playoff picture for both teams. As Eastern Conference rivals, this match could have more than a ...

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Union

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation reports that Keon Daniel may have contracted dengue fever, a mosquito-borne illness, and will miss the CONCACAF World Cup qualifier against Bermuda. The guy simply cannot catch a break.

JP Dellacamera says the Kansas City draw is cause for optimism.

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Union

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation reports that Keon Daniel may have contracted dengue fever, a mosquito-borne illness, and will miss the CONCACAF World Cup qualifier against Bermuda. The guy simply cannot catch a break.

JP Dellacamera says the Kansas City draw is cause for optimism.

Following a loss on the road to Seattle 0-3 and settling for a draw with Chivas USA despite a 2-0 halftime lead VASoccerNews asked via Twitter if Ben Olsen's job as Head Coach might be in jeopardy should United not manage to make the playoffs for the 2011 MLS Season.
For the sake of a fair debate VASocerNews enlisted the help of a guest blogger,Ryan Keefer, to argue 'for' Olsen remaining as Head Coach for the Black and Red.

Photo: Paul Rudderow

After Saturday's action, four points are all that separate the top six teams in the Eastern Conference.

Houston rose to first place when Geoff Cameron scored in the 87th. KC and Columbus are tied for second after the Crew lost to LA and KC tied the Union.

After a depressing draw to Chivas, United must regroup and find a way to beat RSL, one of the best teams in MLS the past few seasons. However, history is on their side, and perhaps the wrath of Ben Olsen ...