Images taken September 2011 in Madrid.

After seeing the latest pics of Xabi Alonso and wifey Nagore shopping at D&G in Madrid, we got to thinking: have we ever seen Ane Alonso?

Okay, we have. Once. But have we ever seen Ane Alonso as a toddler?

We thought not, which is why we're donating a hi-res version of her to your desktop files and Tumblr accounts now, Kickettes.

I'm 42, play soccer against guys (and sometimes a couple of gals) in their 20's every week, bicycle everywhere for transport and breakdance some nearly everyday. So you know I love me some yoga.Apparently, so does Klinsi, because the USMNT are now hitting their cobras as part of recovery and preventative medicine.

Earlier last night, I was alerted to the recent Chron.com blog piece by Jose de Jesus Ortiz, and his idea to get Brian Ching back from the Montreal L'Impact. You can read the full blog piece here. In my time as a Dynamo Theory Blog writer (ok, I know I haven't been nearly as active as of late. I blame work), I've read over a ton of ideas about how to fix or better the team.

And so the conjecture continues. No, no, not speculative tittle-tattle focused on which new wunderkind recruits are coming to the Arsenal in the January transfer window, I am talking about where we will tour next summer. Granted, it is still supposition but anything to turn our attentions from the endless stories linking us with the world and his wife (as well as those poor unfortunates heading for the Emirates exit).

And so the conjecture continues. No, no, not speculative tittle-tattle focused on which new wunderkind recruits are coming to the Arsenal in the January transfer window, I am talking about where we will tour next summer. Granted, it is still supposition but anything to turn our attentions from the endless stories linking us with the world and his wife (as well as those poor unfortunates heading for the Emirates exit).

(Photo: Paul Rudderow)

Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of "Raves" about our favorite Philadelphia players. They need not be the team's best players, but they're guys and gals we like. Over the next two weeks, we continue the series again with some of the PSP writers' and contributors' favorite players of 2011.

(Photo: Michael Long)

Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of "Raves" about our favorite Philadelphia players. They need not be the team's best players, but they're guys and gals we like. Over the next two weeks, we continue the series again with some of the PSP writers' and contributors' favorite players of 2011.

(Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz)

Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of "Raves" about our favorite Philadelphia players. They need not be the team's best players, but they're guys and gals we like. Over the next two weeks, we continue the series again with some of the PSP writers' and contributors' favorite players of 2011.

(Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz)

Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of raves "Raves" about our favorite Philadelphia players. They need not be the team's best players, but they're guys and gals we like. Over the next two weeks, we continue the series again with some of the PSP writers and contributors favorite players of 2011.

(Photo: Nicolae Stoian)

Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of raves "Raves" about our favorite Philadelphia players. They need not be the team's best players, but they're guys and gals we like. Over the next two weeks, we continue the series again with some of the PSP writers and contributors favorite players of 2011.

(Photo: Nicolae Stoian)

Editor's note: Last year, we posted a series of "Raves" about some of our favorite Philadelphia players. They need not be the team's best players, but they're guys and gals we like. Over the next two weeks, we continue the series again with some of the PSP contributors favorite players of 2011.

Us gals get a bad enough rap when we can't go to the ladies' room without one another, so what's with the hand holding between Chantelle (Emile Heskey's WAG) and Jessica (Stephen Ireland's missus)?

Image Credit: GQ Mexico.

His mind might be saying 'no', but Javier Hernandez's body is only a few drinks away from succumbing to our advances.

Perseverance, guys and gals of the peanut gallery. When all else fails, slip 'em a cocktail or ten.

You remember Maarten Stekelenburg don't you Kickettes? He of World Cup hottie status and butterfinger moments a la Ramos?

Having just signed a four-year deal with AS Roma, the Dutch international is taking each and every one of his delectable midsection treats to the Italian capital to enlist in Bojan Krkic and Gabriel Heinze's hot-to-trot newbies club.

Happy Friday guys. I thought I'd change it up a bit and go all Simon Borg on ya. So pretend your reading this in a loud and boistrous fashion. Growl at some point mid-sentence to keep it real. Here's your Friday rant. Enjoy!I'll never understand the mentality of so many adult amateur soccer players. It happens to nearly every athlete who doesn't make it as a pro: they love the game and join adult leagues.

It's Kanga Cup week and visitors have come from Sydney, Witsundays, NT, Tassie, NZ, Phillipines, Malaysia and Korea to name some of the 230 plus teams in Canberra this week.
It's cold, it always is in July in the Capital but two things have got my goat this week.
Lots of great football, cheery spirit and great comaraderie.

By Chris Wright

Hot on the heels of Lionel Messi's soul-sappingly woeful freekick against Colombia on Wednesday comes Bolivian midfielder Ronald Garcia's dismal, down-right depressingly inept effort against Costa Rica last night.

I'm pretty sure referring to this a 'shot' would be a violation of the Trade Descriptions Act.

We've watched these crazy kids fall head over heels into punch-drunk love for many years, so it was only a matter of time that Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy cemented their loved-up status with magic tricks and karaoke.

Congrats to the couple, who got hitched in a ceremony earlier today.

Our USWNT gals are set to kick off World Cup play against North Korea in about 35 minutes. Here is your game one line-up:Solo; Krieger, Buehler, Rampone, LePeilbet, Boxx, Cheney, O'Reilly, Lloyd, Rodriguez, WambachI'll be back later with highlights, reactions and perhaps a few thoughts. Enjoy the game, everybody, should be a tough one.

With all the FIFA shenanigns last week, and now Hughes leaving us high and dry, my passion if not sheer interest in the sport is seriously being tested. But thankfully I have all you guys and gals.

But it should be said I'm not surprised Hughes left. Frustrated, but not shocked. It makes sense: we came to him late, he added the one-year-get-out clause because he had the leverage, managed a successful season all things considered, and is now gone for another "challenge".

I finally had the opportunity to see Tim Ream play in person when the Nerb (New York Red Bulls) faced the Gals (LA Galaxy) at the HDC a couple of weeks ago. I was truly impressed. Unlike most MLS defenders, he took his time distributing the ball out of the back. And he didn't just boot it or pass it off.