For the seventh consecutive year, I'm one of the voters for the National Soccer Hall of Fame, and it's a responsibility I take very seriously. I've made each of my previous six ballots and the rationales behind them public, so there's no need to change now.

There are 12 newcomers on the 31-player ballot for 2012.

With 2012 marking the beginning of the USA's FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign and the players here hoping to make a big impression, we decided to look back at the January camp roster from this time in the previous two cycles to see if there is any forecasting to be done on how many players will actually reach the World Cup.

One of the enduring traditions around Academy events is the staff game played by the Technical Advisors and Scouts. Always organized by Manny Schellsheidt, these kickarounds are a nice way for the staff to get a run after an exhausting schedule throughout the week. It's also a good reminder for those who get to watch how much talent and experience is being contributed to the scouting efforts.

Every year at the Development Academy Showcases, scouts from all over the world come to get a look at some of the country's most talented players. There were more than 300 scouts from Major League Soccer teams, colleges and foreign clubs at the 2010 Winter Showcase in Phoenix, Ariz. U.S. Soccer employs its own armada of scouts, with a total of 65 being used throughout the country to help identify and mentor the top youth talent.

What lineup will Jurgen Klinsmann use tonight in his USMNT debut against Mexico?
We'll all have to wait and see of course, and another thing we'll have to wait and see about is what players Klinsmann will rely heavily on during his time as US coach.
Might those players be on the field tonight against Mexico?

What lineup will Jurgen Klinsmann use tonight in his USMNT debut against Mexico?
We'll all have to wait and see of course, and another thing we'll have to wait and see about is what players Klinsmann will rely heavily on during his time as US coach.
Might those players be on the field tonight against Mexico?

With some playing time tonight, Logan Pause will make his 213th appearance for the Chicago Fire putting him jointly third on the Fire's all-time appearance list with Ring of Fire inductee Chris Armas. After Armas's retirement in 2007, Pause made the defensive midfield position his own and his tireless work in the Fire's engine room often goes unnoticed.

The starting left center back for the Rapids All-Time Team is Pablo Mastroeni.
How Acquired: First pick in 2002 Allocation draft from the contracted Miami Fusion.
Years In Colorado: 2002 through current day
How Departed: Still with the team
Next to Balboa, this was the easiest pick on the team.

LINEUPUSA: 1-Tim Howard, 3-Carlos Bocanegra (capt.), 4-Michael Bradley, 6-Steve Cherundolo, 8-Clint Dempsey, 10-Landon Donovan, 13-Jermaine Jones, 14-Eric Lichaj, 20-Freddy Adu, 21-Clarence Goodson, 22-Alejandro Bedoya
Subs: 2-Jonathan Spector, 7-Maurice Edu, 9-Juan Agudelo, 12-Jonathan Bornstein, 15-Tim Ream, 16-Sacha Kljestan, 23-Marcus Hahnemann
LINEUP NOTES

• The U.

It is almost never a mistake for a team to fire a coach. It's like a relationship - once it gets to the point where you're seriously asking whether you should break up, you should probably break up.
The mistake almost always ends up being the choice of replacement. In many cases, the choice could end up being so poor that it calls into question the original decision to can the previous coach.

Unofficial: Pari Pantazopoulos Signed! From Prospect High to Chicago Fire

‘‘It's a dream come true,'' Pantazopoulos said. ‘‘I used to be a fan. I went to every home game, cheering for [DaMarcus] Beasley, Logan Pause, [Chris] Armas and [Peter] Nowak.''

The Sun-Times reports the Chicago Fire are preparing to announce the signing of hometown boy and open-tryout winner Pari Pantazopoulos.

Introducing a new Hot Time In Old Town daily segment - Chicago Soccer Smolderings. We revisit some of the hottest stories of the last 24-48 hours and link to some other interesting items you may have missed. If you only have a few minutes to stay up-to-date on the Chicago soccer, check Chicago Soccer Smolderings: Dave Wilson's Daily Links after the break.

The Soccer Hall of Fame may be trapped in the Phantom Zone, but that doesn't mean there aren't players to enshrine. So, let's look at this year's ballot!
...wait. Can you? You sure can't here. No, this site hasn't worked for a dog's age.
Oh, okay, the Fed has the list.

Yesterday the official ballot for the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2011 was announced, and United States soccer fans will surely be pleased with the candidates. The pool of possible Hall of Famers is full of talented players who plied their trade both domestically in Major League Soccer as well as those pioneers that paved the way for fellow Americans overseas.

SEATTLE, WA Finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2011 were announced Thursday by U.S. Soccer. Voting has already begun and continues through March 11. The results will be announced in a few months. Here are the voting rules for the player category as detailed in the USSF press release: The [.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Cobi Jones, Eddie Pope and Jason Kreis highlight a strong group of first-timers among the nominees on the 2011 U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame ballot, which was released Thursday afternoon.

Jones, the United States' all-time leader in caps with 164, played in three World Cups and was one of the most recognizable and distinguished players of his era.

Posted by Jared Montz

I was cruising my Facebook newsfeed the other day when I saw this old school video posted on Mrs. Armas's newsfeed. That is the legend Chris Armas's wife. Very fitting the person who scores the first goal at Toyota Park on the grand opening is Chris Armas! Legend.

Posted by Jared Montz

I was cruising my Facebook newsfeed the other day when I saw this old school video posted on Mrs. Armas's newsfeed. That is the legend Chris Armas's wife. Very fitting the person who scores the first goal at Toyota Park on the grand opening is Chris Armas! Legend.