I'm working around the clock on something that will change everything, alienate half of you, and blow the minds of the other half, so don't think I'm neglecting this place, even if actual blocks of text with my name attached have been in short supply lately. I'm here behind the scenes, listening to Annette Hanshaw records in a posture of revolutionary toil.

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Real Salt Lake will meet LA Galaxy in next weekend's MLS Cup. RSL defeated Chicago in Chicago after defeating Columbus in Columbus, so they sure qualified the hard way. Yet it is hard to cheer for the team that made the playoffs because of Toronto's collapse in New York. Click to continue reading...

The two times Curt Onalfo and Richie Williams were together in a playing capacity, they managed to take home the 1989 NCAA College Soccer National Championship at the University of Virginia and ten years later, the 1999 MLS Cup with DC United. They know each other, and have been proven winners stateside in the past.

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Sunday's MLS playoff match-ups have potential. Not that they're locks to be the best MLS games of all time. There's plenty to pick and choose from, however, and it's certainly worth diving into ahead of time, as six teams will be reduced to three. Let's dive in.

Seattle Sounders at Houston Dynamo (0-0)

The entertaining first leg bodes well for the second.

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Where to begin with this one? If you approached fans of Columbus and let them know in advance of the game, that they would take a two goal lead within the first 35 minutes at home, against the worst road team in MLS, they would have taken that in a hearbeat. And that's just what did happen, as two Guillermo Barros Schelotto goals got the Crew off to the start they needed.

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With J Hutcherson -- Later today, Tim Howard and Everton get the opportunity to marginalize an earlier result. That would be the 5-0 collapse at Benfica on October 22nd. A home win at Goodison Park takes the gloss off what happened at Estadio da Luz. In the short-term, it even takes out Benfica's goal differential since an Everton win puts them ahead on points in Group I. Click to continue reading...

The late 1980's were a transformative time for USA soccer. While the NASL had begun the sharp decline that would eventually result in its collapse, a new generation of talented young American players began to emerge. Click to continue reading...

More than a decade before "The Full Monty", the decline of the city of Sheffield and the effect of the collapse of the city's steel industry was already well documented. This week's Video Of The Week goes back to 1984. "Steel City Blues" traces the decline of the city and ties it together with Sheffield Wednesday's attempts to get back into the First Division for the first time since 1970.

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Hello Gooners. West Ham 2 Arsenal 2 it finished. Excuse the rage I'm feeling right now but I'll try not to be downright acidic in my assessment in London Derby Number 2 against the Hammers.

Complacency, CarltonCole and Choking. 3 C's I said we needed to be wary of against the Hammers.

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The most glaring difference between this and the last AGM is not the shareholders' attitude. It is Arsene. His demeanor was completely different this time around, and with good reason. Though that reason may not be down to results entirely.

Of course, we still get Arsene's standard lines about "belief," the "real spirit in the team," etc.

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Chelsea v Atletico Madrid
Wednesday 21 October 2009, Stamford Bridge
UEFA Champions League
Kick-Off: 19:45 UK (20:45 CET)

After a night of 'upsets' where only 1 out of 8 home teams managed to win their Champions League games (and 5 of them lost), Chelsea fans will be hoping that Wednesday night brings better luck to the home side.

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Richard Farley the host of the Inside the Six podcast and co-host of Russian Football now joins Kartik Krishnaiyer to break down Liverpool's loss at Anfield to Lyon. We also discuss Arsenal's draw in Holland, Rangers collapse at Ibrox, and Rubin Kazan's shock victory at the Nou Camp. Richard Farley is one of the foremost experts on European leagues outside the Premier League, and it is a pleasure to welcome him as an EPL Talk contributor covering the Champions League for the podcast.

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Well, it certainly was interesting this weekend to say the least. Here is a recap of the games in week 6;
Saturday
THUSC Sodium 0 vs LOSC Extreme 0
EMFC 95 Magic 0 vs OR Rush 95G Nike 1
USA Hotshots 1 vs Sherwood Force 0
Sunday
Sherwood Force 1 vs SSC 95 Hotspur 3
LOSC Extreme 2 vs USA Hotshots 1
ESUFC Arsenal 2 vs THUSC Sodium 1
Bracket Standings
OR Rush [13 pts] - 5 games remaining
EMFC 95 Magic [9 pts] - 2 games remaining
THUSC Sodium [9 pts] - 3 games remaining
LOSC Extreme [7 pts] - 4 games remaining
Sherwood Force [6 pts] - 4 games remaining
SSC 95 Hotspur [5 pts] - 4 games remaining
USA Hotshots [5 pts] - 5 games remaining
ESUFC Arsenal [4 pts] - 5 games remaining
FC Portland A GU14 Platinum [3 pts] - 5 games remaining
Bracket Notes
With so many games remaining it looks like the bracket is still wide open. Click to continue reading...

What would a World Cup be without some of the biggest names in soccer? The World Cup in 2010 is shaping up to show what happens when the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Zlatan Ibrahimovic don't show up to take part.

The qualifying struggles of each player's home country has been well documented.

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What would a World Cup be without some of the biggest names in soccer? The World Cup in 2010 is shaping up to show what happens when the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Zlatan Ibrahimovic don't show up to take part.

The qualifying struggles of each player's home country has been well documented.

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Bayer Leverkusen maintained their unbeaten record and moved to the top of the Bundesliga after an easy 4-0 victory over Nurnberg.
Saturday
Friedhelm Funkel was shown precisely how big a task he has on his hands as he witnessed his Hertha Berlin side collapse to Hamburg 3-1. Click to continue reading...

Next weekend sees a big test in the ongoing debate over whether people will pay for premium content on the internet, when the World Cup qualifier between Ukraine and England in Dnipropetrovsk next Saturday. The match is due to be shown in the UK live over the internet only following the collapse of Setanta during the summer.

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If you're part of the Truther/Birther/Grassy Knoll/Area 57-style lunatic fringe (or a resident of Toronto) that believes MLS is scripted by a small cabal of evil corporate puppetmasters in New York, you'd better knock back a couple fingers of Wild Turkey or a nice fat Bob Marley spliff before you read this, because your head may be about to explode. Click to continue reading...

Head over to ESPN Soccernet and read a nice piece about one-time Rowdies midfielder, Hugo Perez. The article is by Jeff Carlisle and details the career of one of the better US national team players of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Before Claudio Reyna and Landon Donovan, there was Hugo.
He played just two seasons with Tampa Bay and unfortunately his career coincided with the dark years after the collapse of the NASL. Click to continue reading...

The FA has announced today an 8 club Women's Super League commencing in 2011, originally this was for 2010 but due to financial uncertainty following UK television broadcasters Setanta collapse, it has been delayed a year. The FA hopes this will stop England players leaving for America and FA Chairman Lord Triesman said "The launch of [. Click to continue reading...

Last fall Inside Minnesota reported that Augsburg's Matt Bowman (SO, Maple Grove, Minn.) collapsed on the field during preseason and almost died. It was a scary moment for both players and coach Greg Holker. Bowman's parents were also in the stands and knew things were serious. A horrific moment for any parent player or coach.

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Last fall Inside Minnesota reported that Augsburg's Matt Bowman (SO, Maple Grove, Minn.) collapsed on the field during preseason and almost died. It was a scary moment for both players and coach Greg Holker. Bowman's parents were also in the stands and knew things were serious. A horrific moment for any parent player or coach.

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The morning after the day before and the finger pointing of blame has begun following the shambolic collapse against West Bromwich Albion. The brunt, no pun intended, of the vitriol seems to be aimed fairly and squarely on the shoulders of manager Gareth Southgate, but for me the players who took to the field yesterday let themselves, the club and the fans badly down.

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For some years now, DC United's Screaming Eagles and Barra Brava have set the standard for pre-game tailgating in MLS.
As a DC fan this season, I've learned to appreciate the "smaller things" in soccer my soccer experience as opposed to actual goals, talent, or even effort out of my home town team. Click to continue reading...

AAAAHHHHHHHH I AM ARTUR BORUC AND THIS IS A LIST OF THINGS THAT MADE ME ANGRY THIS WEEK:

1. TRYING TO CATCH UP YOU'LL HAVE TO EXCUSE ME BUT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO READ THE NEWS ALL WEEK!!!!!!!!!! I SPENT THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEK IN A SULFURIC ACID RELATED COMA AND THEN YESTERDAY I WAS BUSY WATCHING MY BORDERLINE RETARDED DEFENDERS COLLAPSE AND ALLOW TWO LATE GOALS CAUSING CELTIC TO LOSE ANOTHER MATCH IN EUROPE!

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What we know is that the Chelsea owner and a group of his finest friends the Daily Mail reckons more than 100, including former Blues boss and current Russia manager Guus Hiddink were in Tanzania last week to test their limits with a expedition up Africa's highest peak: Mount Kilimanjaro.

Now is where stories vary.

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This entire post follows on from the comments on my last piece.
When I first read your comment, Ed, I had to go back and re-read my article. I didn't realise how much it came across as so dark on the A-League. When I sat down to write I had in mind a bit of a comparison of the two soccer experiences of the day, highlighting the simple joys of junior and amateur league soccer. Click to continue reading...

                                       Photo by ISIphotos.com

Toronto FC is set to lose a player who its fans won't soon forget, but appear ready to add a star in the process.

TFC striker Danny Dichio will announce his retirement today, ending a three-year run that saw him score the first goal in club history and establish himself as a fan favorite.

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By TRAVIS CLARK

There's plenty at stake tomorrow in terms of World Cup qualifying. Aside from the ever-important match for the U.S. down in Port of Spain, a quick look around the world reveals how desperate nations are as qualification nears conclusion.

Perhaps standing out above the rest is England's chance to seal qualification against Croatia.

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By TRAVIS CLARK

There's plenty at stake tomorrow in terms of World Cup qualifying. Aside from the ever-important match for the U.S. down in Port of Spain, a quick look around the world reveals how desperate nations are as qualification nears conclusion.

Perhaps standing out above the rest is England's chance to seal qualification against Croatia.

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TV Rules

The number one item that should be on the agenda for MLS officials should be has to be the preservation of the TV rights contracts.

Why do I believe that TV holds the future of MLS in its grasp? Because it's already saved the league once. And as of now, it could be argued that the contracts might not even be extended at the current price, or not extended at all(unlikely).

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It seems that West Iceland United might not get a fine over what happened in the match against Millwall, because the footballing authorities fear it will send the club into total collapse. Instead, the club will just get a telling off. As one footballing official might have said, "If UEFA can get away with banning [. Click to continue reading...

It seems that West Iceland United might not get a fine over what happened in the match against Millwall, because the footballing authorities fear it will send the club into total collapse. Instead, the club will just get a telling off. As one footballing official might have said, "If UEFA can get away with banning [. Click to continue reading...

Not a lot of love going on for Leonardo, Adriano Galliani, and Silvio Berlusconi after Milan's collapse to Inter.

Berlusconi's call "Milan, believe in yourselves" is answered with derision.

Believe what? The tales of Santa Claus?

But when will we begin to wake up and not give 'even one euro' to this team as long there is Galliani and Berlusconi?

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New York Cosmos logo

The New York Cosmos are back! The legendary name had been more or less in mothballs for years under the control of G. Peppe Pinton, long rumoured to have been asking for extravagant payment for the trademark. And given what a circus the team was at times (even if this wasn't always a bad thing), it's perhaps appropriate (if rather sad) that the trademark of the team has been purchased and will apparently be used for a reborn Cosmos as "a traveling array of all-stars, playing matches around the world.

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