I'm trying to crank out my PE column tonight so I don't have to worry about it on Monday morning, which is a good thing since I'm going to be out and about most of the day. I'm writing a column on the horrendous scheduling by Major League Soccer and how they're playing right through World Cup qualifying. Click to continue reading...

John Carver didn't hold back much after Toronto lost to Chivas 2-1 on Saturday.

He said he was "absolutely furious" with his defense and also was disgusted with the league and its scheduling. In fact, he even said Toronto FC asked the league to postpone next Saturday's match against Chivas due to extreme hardship. Click to continue reading...

First off, the Galaxy has just drawn 2-2 with the New England Revolution, Landon Donovan getting both goals.

Sean Franklin and Troy Roberts started in the center of defense with Eddie Lewis on the left wing, by the way.

More on that game later, but for now....

Chivas USA has Zach Thornton in goal as usual, Lawson Vaughn is at right back, Jonathan Bornstein on the left and Bobby Burling and Jim Curtin in the middle.

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Just when you thought the league turned the corner on ridiculous rules and regulations, we get this - MLS has blocked Red Bulls transfer of Atlanta Silverback standout, Kanji.

Grandfathering Carlos Ruiz is fine.

Grandfathering Landon Donovan? No problem Beckha .

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Carlos Ruiz, AWOL after his trade from the Galaxy to Toronto FC, (get used to it Canucks) has finally arrived in the Great White North.

This storymarks the first time I've ever heard a coach of Ruiz talk about cuddling him (!), but then if you were down to one healthy striker who is all of 16-years-old you'd probably have the same reaction.

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You read that headline correctly, Toronto FC is on a retreat - in the middle of a playoff race. Yup, head coach John Carver decided to get the club away from things in Toronto for a couple days and for the new players to get accustom to their new teammates. One of those new players [...] Click to continue reading...

Putting an end to rumors about whether he would even report to his new team, Carlos Ruiz is scheduled to arrive in Toronto on Tuesday to meet his new teammates and tour the facilities, according to a press release put out by Toronto FC Media Relations.The Los Angeles Galaxy announced that they had traded Ruiz to Toronto FC on Wednesday, while the Guatemalan forward was in his home country preparing to take on the USA in a World Cup Qualifier. Click to continue reading...

Captain Kansas City now has five goals on the year. Not bad. His latest effort, our last-minute equalizer Saturday against FC Dallas has been nominated for Sierra Mist Goal of the Week. Come on Wizards fans...go vote and get Jimmy on the end-of-the-year ballot!

Take a look at the goal here, if you don't remember it:



He is now our leading scorer with a new career-high. Click to continue reading...

It isn't quite time yet to sink any teams but there are several clubs who look like the should be sleeping with the fishes. There seems to be a big dropoff between six and seven this week. I'd take any team from the top six over any team from the bottom eight - with the possible exception of the slowly climbing number eight club - in a home-and-away series or a one-off match. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The details finally emerged on the Carlos Ruiz trade from LA to Toronto FC on Thursday and they were shocking to say the least. The LA Galaxy shipped Ruiz to Toronto FC for a pair of supplemental draft picks.

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I have nothing to say about this one other than I predict Carlos Ruiz & Amado Guevara together will be high, high drama the likes of which have not been seen north of the border since the original episode's of DeGrassi High aired. Their sex is definitely not on fire.

And I promise that's the last time I will refer to sex on fire today. Click to continue reading...

Bruce Arena
Photos by Scott Varley

Watched and blogging my fourth game in 24 hours or so.

Stand back and no one will get hurt.

This was one of those nights when the press conference was more interesting than the actual game.

We had a local lad having a great night, a new famous coach at his first game and Brian McBride back in MLS.

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Turns out Bruce Arena's first Galaxy team looks a lot like Ruud Gullit's last team - not that he's got many options of course.

David Beckham is on his way to China for the Olympics closing ceremonies, Landon Donovan is recovering from last night's Guatemalan hackfest, um, game, Carlos Ruiz is now a Toronto player, eh, and new signing Eddie Lewis has the evening off too, recovering from the nasty blow to the head he took, no doubt.

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We finally got some confirmation that two deals went down today that we've been talking about for a couple days now. LA Galaxy ships striker Carlos Ruiz to Toronto FC for a first and second round pick in the 2009 MLS Supplemental Draft and salary budget considerations. The Galaxy also sign veteran midfielder/defender Eddie Lewis. Click to continue reading...

This is not rational evaluation, but in my bones I feel that TFC has made a mistake in obtaining Carlos Ruiz from LA. There is still a sour image in my mind from his antics in last year's Gold Cup and while playing with FC Dallas. Even if he is a TFC goal a game marvel, I will be waiting for the inevitable crap behaviour to surface. Click to continue reading...

The short second stint of striker Carlos Ruiz with the Galaxy is officially over, paving the way for the team to sign U.S. international Eddie Lewis.

Presumably Lewis could play tonight against the Fire.

Ruiz had just one goal in 10 appearances for the Galaxy this season and missed almost two months of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

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There will be limited service today. I have a work commitment that will engagement me from early morning till late at night today. Please except my apology. Your refund will be reflected in your next credit card statement.


What a night! Did you ever imagine that Carlos Bocanegra would score 10 career goals for the USA? Click to continue reading...

I've been sitting on this photo since the last week of last season. That was that pivotal "winner makes the playoffs" match between LA & Chicago that was one of the high points of 2007. Just like a the final episode of Six Feet Under it had drama & closure and it left you wanting more. But due to the curse of FIFA dates, stadium availabilities etc. Click to continue reading...

It's a cliche that there are no style points in World Cup qualifying. Just results. The US embodied that cliche last night in a 1-0 victory in Guatemala City in a match that announcer Glenn Davis correctly called a "street fight."

The US did a few things right, plenty wrong, and a few not so well in taking three away points to start the semifinal round of WC 2010 CONCACAF qualifying. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. men's national team defeated Guatemala on Wednesday night, 1-0, in the opening match of the World Cup Qualifying group stage. It wasn't pretty. In fact, it was downright ugly for the Americans for the first 60 minutes of the match.

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 The morning after let's me see things so much clearer.  I 've got some post-match thoughts which many of you might share (Carlos Ruiz anybody), and some quotes from Tim Howard about Senor Ruiz.Carlos Ruiz After a good night's sleep, I'm still fuming at Ruiz.  He is a dirty dirty player and I'd say just about [. Click to continue reading...

The United States Men's National Team got off to a great start in World Cup qualifying on Wednesday night, with Bob Bradley's squad marching into Guatemala and emerging with a 1-0 victory. It was the first time in history that the US earned a win in a WC qualifier on Guatemalan soil. Captain Carlos Bocanegra was the hero, heading home a DaMarcus Beasley corner kick in the 69th minute to give the Nats all they would need. Click to continue reading...

I was able to catch the game at work, and got some coworkers into it. Here are some thoughts:

• Had to watch baseball during the first 8 minutes of action. Lame. Also I never got to see the lineups. Double lame.
• Not as lame as the first half. Goodness that was boring.
• Why were there MLS games tonight?

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If you watched the match, this is the place for all post game thoughts.  There is really no time for a detailed match report, because I would have fallen asleep if Carlos Ruiz hadn't made me curse at him.  Anyway, if you saw the match, let me know what you think after the jump. What was [...] Click to continue reading...

BE WARNED: If baseball on ESPN2 runs long tonight, the USA game will start on ESPN Classic.

~and~

Coach Fernando Clavijo is done in Colorado. He went to his native Uruguay last week to attend to personal matters, and has now "resigned". He has never been a great week to week coach, but I think the guy has a great eye for talent, and should be given some credit with setting up the New England team that Steve Nicol make great. Click to continue reading...