According to the Boston Herald, former Lithuanian National Team striker Edgaras Jankauska, age 34 is expected to join the Revolution on trial this week, this according to Mike Burns, New England vice president of player personnel:
With Taylor Twellman day-to-day as he battles the lingering effects of a whiplash-like neck injury, the Revs have made a move to bring in offensive reinforcements.

I just read this bit in the Boston Herald about how our Taylor and his brother (who knew there were two of 'em?) where in this crazy near-death experience in Chicago this week; the driver of a cab they were in had a heart attack as they approached an intersection and hit a wall. And just to make it all weirdski's, this isn't the first time the Twellman Brothers --which sounds like a C&W band-- have been in a crash & bang situation.

When you think of a professional footballer's mode of transportation to a match, you probably conjure images of pimped-out limousines with built-in hot tubs, strippers and maybe even a personal pizza chef.

Well, for footballers in the United States (who aren't Davey Becks) it's not like that.

STARTERS
So I am trying to figure out exactly why someone has tagged a Banksy-esque stencil of Andriy Shevchenko on a trash can that I walk past every day.
MLS
Week 9 Matches:
-Sat May 16
Toronto FC v Chicago Fire - 3pm Central on Direct Kick
Venue: BML Field, Toronto ON
New England Revolution v Colorado Rapids - 6:30pm Central on Direct Kick
Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough MA
New York Red Bulls v Houston Dynamo - 6:30pm Central on Direct Kick
Venue: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford NY
FC Dallas v Seattle Sounders FC - 7:30pm Central on Direct Kick
Venue: Pizza Hut Park, Frisco TX
Real Salt Lake v Kansas City Wizards - 8pm Central on Direct Kick
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy UT
Chivas USA v DC United - 10pm Central on FSC
Venue: Home Depot Center, Carson CA
-Sun May 17
Los Angeles Galaxy v Columbus Crew - 2pm Central on Telefutura
Venue: Home Depot Center, Carson CA
dN
Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch has some juicy Crew trade rumors to float past us including the team ditching Pat Noonan & Alejandro Moreno.

It's hard to believe, perhaps, but tonight D.C. United wraps up its regular season series with the New England Revolution - just 12 games into the 2009 League campaign. D.C. stole points at home back on April 17 thanks to a goal in extra time from Ben Olsen, resulting in a 1-1 draw. Tonight, the Black-and-Red will be without #14, however, as he is still recovering from a hamstring strain, while Christian Gomez was also left behind due to an injury (bruised toe) suffered in last week's game against Real Salt Lake.

I believe that the answer to that question is a resounding no.  Oklahoma might have the slimmest of chances ... but barring injuries, I don't see anyone getting in the way of the Huskies' march toward a national championship.  The battle will be to see who the other three teams are in the Final Four.

Tonight, D.C. United faces the New England Revolution for the first time in 2009. The game is set to kickoff at 7 p.m. ET at RFK Stadium and will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. You can listen on the radio in English (1050 AM) or in Spanish (730 AM).

The coaching staff will have a difficult task ahead of them this evening, as nearly every player on the 24-man roster is available.

EXTRA SPECIAL STARTERS
Love Is In The Air!
Our friend Jeremy Olson aka DigitalGopher caught the Montreal Impact in full meltdown mode last Saturday night during a 3-0 loss to our Minnesota Thunder.

STARTERS
So word has it that the upcoming HUUUGE Mexico v USA World Cup qualifier will not be shown on a channel that 99% of us fans can get. Telemundo owns the rights to all games from Mexico, and their plan is to broadcast it in English on a spin-off channel they have called Mun2.

Lots of stuff going on this week, even though little is going on this weekend. I thought I'd aggregate a few of the headlines in one place for people who haven't had a chance to browse the football section of your local paper. (Note: In U.S., I'm not aware of any local paper with a football (soccer) section, so I'm guessing that if you're reading this from the U.

QUESTION ON MY MIND
So who is joining me in Chicago on Saturday for the Fire game against New England? How many times have I seen these two duke it out? Like old timey boxing? Can't wait! See you there!
STARTERS
Real Salt Lake followed New York's lead from last year and knocked the defending MLS Cup winners out of the playoffs in the first round.

Dang y'all. Since when did Soccer Insider become "Dramablog USA"? I guess when you are at the top of your game --even a small one like American soccer reporting-- drama & beef just come looking for you. Just ask Tupac. Oh that's right you can't, because he's dead.
Deceased (allegedly) rappers aside, I really enjoy Goff's "blog"* but it sure seems like other people aren't lately.

STARTERS
USA President Barak Obama to Brazil President Lula: "We will not lose a 2-0 lead again."
dN
Yesterday I was a guest on Marcelo Balboa's radio show From The Pitch, in Denver. Co-host Brian Forbes manned the show on his own this week, and he and I talked about many soccer related subjects.

A few things from the week which weren't enough for an entire post, but which I just couldn't pass up. Quote of the week: Becks is Anna Kournikova in a jockstrap. Ian O'Connor, Boston Herald And this is a close second. From a press conference where Beckham used some version of the word "commit" or "commitment" 17 times [.

Emile Heskey is the latest schoolboy to offend the headmaster. [Indy] Charlie Davies gets out of the ICU. [Boston Herald] What to wear when you're watching Liverpool v. Manchester United this weekend. [Soccerprint] ...

Emile Heskey is the latest schoolboy to offend the headmaster. [Indy] Charlie Davies gets out of the ICU. [Boston Herald] What to wear when you're watching Liverpool v. Manchester United this weekend. [Soccerprint] ...

Emile Heskey is the latest schoolboy to offend the headmaster. [Indy] Charlie Davies gets out of the ICU. [Boston Herald] What to wear when you're watching Liverpool v. Manchester United this weekend. [Soccerprint] ...

STARTERS
Got this note yesterday from a great reader named Anthony who lives in Glasgow: Have you heard of any fans making the trip to Bratislava for the Nov 14 game? I haven't heard anything and US Soccer hasn't even released info about tickets, but I got a cheap flight from Edinburgh to Bratislava so I'm going for the weekend in hopes I can get a ticket there and looking to meet up w any other US fans before the game to march and sing to the stadium together.

Emile Heskey is the latest schoolboy to offend the headmaster. [Indy] Charlie Davies gets out of the ICU. [Boston Herald] What to wear when you're watching Liverpool v. Manchester United this weekend. [Soccerprint] ...

STARTERS
Here is video of the interview that ESPN's Jeremy Schaap did with Charlie Davies. Thanks to Sundust17 for posting this, and Graham for sending us the link.
dN
AND THEN TONIGHT - Brian Ching & Stuart Holden talk with Charlie Davies on The Orange Slice at 8-9pm Central on 1560thegame.

Emile Heskey is the latest schoolboy to offend the headmaster. [Indy] Charlie Davies gets out of the ICU. [Boston Herald] What to wear when you're watching Liverpool v. Manchester United this weekend. [Soccerprint] ...