By AVI CREDITOR

Don't expect to be wowed by the second edition of the MLS Re-Entry Draft now that most of the big names initially available are off the table.

Between Bobby Convey being traded to Sporting Kansas City, Bobby Boswell re-signing with the Houston Dynamo, Ante Jazic re-signing with Chivas USA and Santino Quaranta retiring, the quality of the draft pool has dropped immensely.

Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

We've seen the last of Santino Quaranta as a professional soccer player.

Quaranta has called it a career after 11 seasons in MLS, according to the Washington Post. Feeling that there's nothing left to accomplish, Quaranta ends his time as a player with 27 goals and 29 assists in 180 MLS matches and 15 caps and one goal for the U.

Thorrington now unavailable in Re-Entry Draft; Jay Nolly to the Fire?

UPDATE 1 - 9:00 AM on December 5: This is now official according to the Chicago Fire. Chicago acquires Nolly for a first round selection in the 2013 Supplemental Draft

John Thorrington and Joe Cannon re-sign with the Vancouver Whitecaps

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This comes via Benjamin Massey over at 86 Forever in response to MLS releasing an updated list of players who will be available for the Re-Entry Draft that starts this Monday.

*You know what they say about Paris in the spring, but what about fall in France?:

CHICAGO (AP) -- The U.S. soccer team will play an exhibition at France on Nov. 11, the first meeting between the nations in 32 years.

The game was announced today and will be played at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, the site of the 1998 World Cup final.

With the epic U.S. Open Cup Final slated for tomorrow, I thought it might be a good idea to give a quick rundown of the brief history between the two teams. Although the Fire have tied the Sounders, Chicago has yet to actually defeat Seattle in a match. What better time for that to happen than tomorrow night?

Today, the Chicago Fire sent out the shortest press release I've ever seen from the club. Outside from the standard information, here are the contents:

The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced today that the club has waived midfielder Marko Maric

The Croatian midfielder appeared in one match for the Fire before suffering an injury against the Portland Timbers April 14.

By MIKE NASTRI

The New York Red Bulls couldn't muster more than a point against the last place Vancouver Whitecaps in a virtual must-win.

Down a goal and a man, Juan Agudelo came to the rescue with a crucial goal in the 68th minute. Rafa Marquez played a long 30-yard cross into the box that found a streaking Agudelo.

So last night's game was interesting. The first half showed a largely unorganized, disconnected American side that was being beat everywhere on the field by the Mexican Gold Cup champions. The second half saw a revitalized American side that was more dominating. It was literally a game of two halves.

*U.S. Soccer announced today an 8 p.m. Sept. 2 friendly against Costa Rica at Home Depot Center that will air on ESPN2.

Tickets go on sale July 15 starting at $20.

It's a rare non-January friendly in Southern California against a Latin American team, which U.S. Soccer officials customarily attempt to avoid because of their fan support here.

Will be back in the press box for tomorrow's MLS clash between the New England Revolution and the Vancouver Whitecaps. Both teams come into the match badly in need of a win. The Revolution have 10 points from 9 matches while the Whitecaps have 8 points from 10 matches.

Last Match
New England were held to a scoreless draw at home to Colorado last Saturday, while Vancouver came back for a late 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes in midweek.

After the MLS Player's Union released information on 2011 player salaries last weekend many amateur capologists (myself included) began crunching numbers, analyzing data, and speculating as to the "salary cap" standing of each team in the league. It's an exercise that's rooted in educated guesses and assumptions based on the raw numbers presented by the union.

We ask three questions of Benjamin Massey from Eighty Six Forever in order to get some insider perspective on the Vancouver Whitecaps as they head to Toyota Park to take on the Chicago Fire on Saturday night. Benjamin's first answer is below and the answers to the other two questions are after the break.

MLS has released the early injury report for the match against Vancouver this weekend. There are some familiar names on the list.

CHICAGO FIRE -- OUT: MF Mike Banner (L Achilles tendinitis); DF Steven Kinney (R Achilles repair); MF Michael Videira (concussion symptoms); FW Gabriel Ferrari (L hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Cory Gibbs (L hamstring strain); MF Marko Maric (L ankle sprain/contusion); DF Josip Mikulic (L clavicle contusion); MF Logan Pause (R hamstring strain)

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC -- OUT: FW Atiba Harris (R knee surgery); MF Michael Nanchoff (groin strain); MF John Thorrington (R calf strain); DOUBTFUL: DF Jay DeMerit (groin strain)

Mike Videira suffered a concussion on Friday but it is not considered severe.

The expansion Vancouver Whitecaps are coming to Houston for the first time and will get one chance to enjoy the "unique accommodations" of Robertson Stadium. It's the first match back at Robertson for the Dynamo since their season opening loss to the Union on March 19th.

The Dynamo are coming off a 1-0 extra time loss to Sporting Kansas City in the U.

Chicago's team has changed quite a bit in the years when the Seattle Sounders are an MLS team. The Fire lost players like Brian McBride and Freddie Ljungberg, and are now a quite young team with an experienced coach in Carlos de los Cabos. Tweed over at Hot Time In Old Town exchange questions previewing this week's game.

Kansas City continues their long road trip this week with their first trip to Vancouver to take on the Whitecaps. Vancouver is 1-1 after the first two games, winning on opening day at home against Toronto and losing last week against in Philadelphia. They are being hit by injuries and suspensions this week and could be in a similar situation that KC was in last week when it comes to their center back set up.

Fire forward Gaston Puerari -- ISI PhotosLast year's Chicago Fire squad was a middle-of-the-pack MLS team on the offensive end, scoring 37 goals in 30 games. But there were many dry spells along the way, as the offense was shut out seven times during the final two months and 10 times overall in 2010.

To say that the Chicago Fire has undergone a roster turnover heading into the 2011 MLS season would be to make a strong understatement. Gone from Toyota park is Fire mainstay C.J. Brown, local hero Brian McBride, ticket sellers Nery Castillo and Freddie Ljungberg, the dynamic Wilman Conde, the versatile-but-injured John Thorrington and the untapped potential of Collins John.

The Whitecaps captain, Jay DeMeritThe Vancouver Whitecaps captains have been announced by coach Teitur Thordarson. While I was almost sure that Jay DeMerit would be the captain (because he is a strong leader, an experienced player, and an amazing person to follow on Twitter), I wasn't too sure about who would be the vice-captain.

Photo by Jose M. Romero

By JOSE M. ROMERO

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Vancouver Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi stood in a covered area above the stands at Arizona State University's soccer stadium, wondering aloud what his team was doing.

Down on the field, the Whitecaps couldn't finish chances, and they couldn't overcome two key turnovers that led to quick goals for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Monday's 2-0 preseason win for L.

By ODEEN DOMINGO

PHOENIX – The absence of creases on the cheekbones of his weathered face tells you enough.

Vancouver Whitecaps coach Teitur Thordarson is not one for smiling.

But Thordarson couldn't help but force a hint of a smirk after the Whitecaps' 2-1 win in a scrimmage of two 45-minute halves over the Columbus Crew at the Reach 11 Soccer Complex.

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By JOSE M. ROMERO

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. -- Joe Cannon spent the first few days of Vancouver Whitecaps training camp in Arizona doing some rehabilitation on his left ankle, the one he broke last August while with the San Jose Earthquakes.

The silly season is mostly over even though MLS clubs can still sign players until April 15. But with clubs going into preseason mode it's time to take a gander at what each club did over the offseason months to prepare for the new season ahead.

Now this isn't a preseason look at each club and where they stand for the new season, this is merely a look at what clubs brought in going against what they lost from last year.

CASA GRANDE, Arz Playing their first-ever preseason training match as a Major League Soccer club on Tuesday, Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeated 2009 MLS Cup champions Real Salt Lake 2-1 at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Arizona. Goals by the Canadian duo of Russell Teibert and Terry Dunfield have Teitur Thordarson's side a positive [.