I've got some more shwag to give away so get your random information skills together. In the clip above Cobi Jones is seen at SafeCo Field in Seattle...why is he there? The first person to email the correct answer to that question to TheOffsideRules [at] Gmail.com wins a copy of Gamebreakers AND The History of MLS Cup on DVD.

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I just finished the new DVD from Major League Soccer and A&E Home Video titled, Game Breakers: The Stars of Major League Soccer and I've got to tell ya, I was quite impressed.

The DVD was just released on August 26th and so – like Kramer in Seinfeld – that practically makes me the premier! Click to continue reading...

Or at least they are tied with the 2006 team as the worst ever.

By running their winless streak to 10 games with a 2-2 tie Saturday against the New England Revolution, the Galaxy tied the mark for the longest winless stretch in club history, first set in 2006 when the Galaxy went 0-8-2 from May 6 until June 24.

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I had a chance to watch Game Breakers: The Stars of Major League Soccer this evening. The A&E DVD about several of the stars of Major League Soccer was just released today.

The description of the DVD lists 12 players that they profile but you will see so much more than just 12 player profiles.

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What can I say, I'm not a fan of Bruce Arena. He did well with the US of course but he certainly is not the mastermind many made him out to be.

Here's my PE column that I wrote about Arena's supposed grandiose tenure with the US national team.

I guess I tried to counter some of what Tim Leiweke said about Arena, that the was the best coach in this country or something to the effect. Click to continue reading...

We're about two-thirds complete with the MLS season and we still haven't figured much out. One week, New England is the best team in the league, the next thing you know they are dropping their second straight game. San Jose meanwhile was given up for dead but now they are legitimately chasing a playoff spot. Click to continue reading...

It was a more relaxed-looking and less intense-sounding Bruce Arena who was introduced as the Galaxy's new general manager and coach this morning at Home Depot Center.

The former U.S. National Team coach and two-time MLS Cup winner with D.C. United was under no illusions about the scale of the task facing him to get the Galaxy into the playoffs.

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Soccer by Ives is reporting that Bruce Arena gets his official introduction today as Galaxy coach today at 11:00. And he's bringing Dave Sarachan with him as his assistant.

What does this mean for Cobi? I have no clue, aside from Ives' assertion that "Cobi Jones is expected to remain on the Galaxy coaching staff.

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The LA Galaxy will introduce former US National team coach Bruce Arena as the team's new head coach at a press conference scheduled for 1pm CT today. Arena and assistant coach Dave Sarachan will take over for the Galaxy and have their first game against Chicago this Thursday in Primetime action. Cobi Jones is expected to [. Click to continue reading...

It looks as if last night's 2-2 draw with Chivas USA will be the only game that Cobi Jones gets to be the head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy. It has been confirmed by several sources that former U.S. Men's National Team coach Bruce Arena will take over the reins of the club, and should be on the sidelines for the Galaxy's next game, this coming Thursday against the Chicago Fire. Click to continue reading...

Other media outlets are confirming this afternoon what Phil Collin wrote in his Galaxy-Chivas USA game story last night that many of you read here: "Sources said the Galaxy are expected to have a press conference next week to announce the hiring of Arena."

I'm betting the press conference is Monday.

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The little talk we mentioned earlier in the day was now more of an interview than just a friendly chat. Why is that? Because Bruce Arena is taking the open coaching job with the LA Galaxy. According to SBI, Arena will be joined on the Galaxy staff by former Chicago Fire head coach Dave Sarachan, who [. Click to continue reading...

Cobi Jones made his coaching debut last night against Chivas USA in a 2-2 draw. An excellent game overall that showed loads of passion out of each club. Jones looked all Hollywood in his debut but what did you all think of him last night? Somehow his club came back and tied that game and [...] Click to continue reading...

Photo by Scott Varley

Cobi Jones' MLS coaching debut sadly became a footnote on a night when former U.S. National Team coach Bruce Arena emerged as the next likely Galaxy coach.

So largely did the game, which included an 89th minute Mike Randolph shot that crashed off the bar after a long David Beckham pass, a dramatic stoppage time equalizer from Alan Gordon and a fractured jaw from a Sean Franklin elbow to veteran Chivas USA midfielder Jesse Marsch that Preki was understandably not at all happy about:

"Sean Franklin elbows Jess Marsch.

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Few rivalries in Major League Soccer are this good. Seriously. I suppose its all due to the fact that the two clubs share a stadium that was originally just mean to be for one team. Or maybe its the fact that one club is more American and the other is Mexican in its roots. Either [...] Click to continue reading...

Before there was David Beckham in the US, there was Cobi Jones, the real deal. He was a lethal combination of talent, charisma, and oomph.

And before MLS decided to anoint Beckham as the saviour of the sport in this country, Jones was already doing more to bring soccer to everyone.

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This will sort of go down like the Dallas coaching search from earlier in the year. Only difference will be the owners of the LA Galaxy are probably a bit clueless about who exactly they want to bring in to coach their club, and FC Dallas knew who they wanted from day one (or five [...] Click to continue reading...

A quick scan of the stories in local papers regarding the Clasico reveals that not a lot of local papers have their own stories on the game.

There are some good stories out there, though. Here's a short, short list of them.

Grahame Jones of the LA Times talks about the team's identity shift and talks to Peter Vagenas about identity issues and such. Click to continue reading...

Two former opposing players are now opposing coaches.
Photo by Juan Miranda

The still stunned LA Galaxy (6-8-5, 23 pts.) faces still injury-ravaged Chivas USA (6-8-4, 22 pts.) live at 8 p.m. (pre-game show starts at 7:30 p.m.) on ESPN2 with, um, fourth place in the Western Conference on the line.

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Chivas USA-Galaxy is a big game. We all are pretty much aware of that.

But it's also a game that can cost people their jobs.History dictates as much.


In trying to figure out a different angle for this match, I decided to pursue the high-stakes angle. Click to continue reading...

Nothing I like more than to listen to a new head coach before a big rivalry game. We got just that with new LA (interim) coach Cobi Jones. Below is a clip of his comments at the press conference. His first talk as a head coach and not a player. Say what you will about the [...] Click to continue reading...

Luis and I were discussing the possibility of Bruce Arena becoming the Galaxy's next coach.

Drama always makes for good copy, and I don't doubt that Bruce would bring some drama and a certain amount of swagger to the team.
On the other hand, I'd rather the club pick someone who has had more recent success in the league. Click to continue reading...

Cobi Jones grabs the mic for his 1st run through the press ringer as LA's temporary gaffer. Personally I am not a fan of cornrows but there is something brilliantly South Bay about it when you realize that Carson is not only home to the Galaxy, but Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. as well.

Bang on Cobi, bang on. Click to continue reading...

Cobi Jones faced the media for the first time Tuesday as the Galaxy's interim coach.

Jones said kinder things about predecessor Ruud Gullit than some of the players I talked to Tuesday. And he was saying all the right things as far as former GM Alexi Lalas was concerned, too:

"It's a loss of someone that was very dedicated to this club and this organization, not only the Galaxy but AEG.

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At practice today, I waited with other reporters to ask Landon Donovan questions. However, I wasn't aggressive enough in speaking up.
To his credit, LD seemed willing to answer one more question for me, but he was hustled away by media relations because coach Cobi Jones was waiting for him to join a short post-practice meeting. Click to continue reading...