Sporting KC today announced a new TV deal with KSMO today. Not only today did KC announce that KSMO will be broadcasting the 2012 season, but KSMO will also be broadcasting the 2013 season as well. There's plenty of good news out of the deal that was announced today.
First, all 28 games that are not being broadcasted on national television will be shown live on KSMO.

Could there ever be a better story than Josh Hamilton taking care of this boy?
The truth is Hamilton needs the boy more than the boy needs Hamilton.
As a father figure, Hamilton has something bigger than himself to look after and more meaning in his life.

Philadelphia Union and Faryd Mondragon confirmed Monday that the veteran goalkeeper will leave to sign with Colombian club Deportivo Cali.

Mondragon, 40, will return to his hometown to play for the team he made his professional debut for more than 20 years ago.

"For family reasons, I have requested the club to allow me the opportunity to finish my career where it started," Mondragon said in a statement released Monday afternoon by the Union.

As the dust settles on the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, I thought it would be a good time to catch up with the Portland Timbers and their offseason moves so far in this, their true first offseason as a Major League ...
Visit http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com for the rest of the story.

On frame with Soccer Sam
By: Shane Badger
If you want to know anything about soccer in Rochester there is one guy to speak to Salvatore Fantauzzo ( Soccer Sam). From his early beginnings until now he has built a legacy of promoting the game of soccer in the US. Now as CEO/Founder of the Rochester Lancers he is creating new legends.

Spend too much time examining the MLS scheduling format and the philosophies therein, and one will inevitably fall down a logical rabbit hole - though, to be fair, this doesn't differ significantly from other "major-league" North American sports.

MLS version 3.0, or 2.1, or whatever we are up to, has become all about "local rivalries", or so it seems.

It's no secret that since she retired in 2004, U.S. legend Mia Hamm has been very busy. She's embarked on her life as a super soccer mom with her husband, ESPN commentator and former Major League All-Star Nomar Garciaparra, and has been very active with her foundation that is dedicated to raising funds and awareness for families needing marrow or cord blood transplants and continuing the growth of opportunities for young women in sports.

Graphic Courtesy of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer announced the slate of candidates for various year end awards. Players, club officials, and reporters had a hand in selecting the finalists. Dates in parentheses are when the winners will be announced. Here's hoping Don Garber doesn't accidentally name-drop this year's MVP a day early.

From the Evansville Courier Press, October 23, 2011
When adults look back on those who were most influential on their lives growing up, it is not uncommon to hear a reference about a significant little league or high school sports memory.
Saying that, there is a strong sentiment that youth coaches of this era don't always offer the same level of support.

Looks like we've got another long break ahead of us. The Next time the Timbers play will be next Friday. Unfortunately, this also gives teams like the Philadelphia Union, D.C. United and, as we saw last night, the New York Red Bulls a chance to pull ahead in the standings.

So what are the Timbers doing during this break?

Crew Stadium, full...it can be done folks. (Getty Images)

Boy, folks sure are down on the Columbus Crew these days. Either it is due to their lack of form in the league at the moment, their injury list piling up like a 10-car pileup on the freeway, or it is just due to them being in Columbus.

Of all the topics upon which MLS fans love to bicker, nothing can touch the Playoffs. Some of us hate the dependence on conferences, some of us hate the amount of clubs that are admitted in, and some of us hate them all together. Me? I like the idea of a playoff, and I think the current model is okay, but just okay.

The Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League, the state's top men's amateur league, is scheduled to start its 2011-12 season Sunday afternoon.

Once again there are 10 teams in the league, which plays a round-robin schedule in the fall and spring. However, there is one new team this season.

Hope everybody is enjoying their day off today... well day off that is unless you work in retail or as a blogger. In any case, the day is ripe for barbeques and hiking around the greater Portland area so I hope some of you are able to escape from work and soak up some sun.

We have just under a week left until the next Timbers road game so you can expect the return of our preview series this week as the team heads to Philadelphia.

The Philly Soccer Page " Player Ratings and Analysis: Union 2-2 Dallas

As with all seasons, we must learn to take the bad with the good. The downs with the ups. The late losses with the late wi... ties.

Adu plays 'reckless' in Union debut | Philadelphia Daily News | 08/15/2011

SEBASTIEN LE TOUX scored two goals on penalty kicks in the Union's 2-2 tie with FC Dallas on Saturday night at PPL Park.

Who needs Becks? The MLS will thrive on the runaway success of Seattle, Vancouver and Portland

On Sunday afternoon, I stood with the Angel City Brigade behind the goal at the Home Depot Center to watch LA Galaxy play Manchester City. In front of us, a man with a neckerchief and a loudhailer stood on a podium with his back to the pitch and ­orchestrated the chanting.

FRANKLIN – Surviving and even thriving with a man down doesn't require a secret formula. It's all about defensive shape and hard work.

Though a 40-yard half-volley doesn't hurt.

Neil Dombrowski's creative strike 10 minutes into the first extra period provided the winning margin as 10-man Bavarian SC edged the Croatian Eagles 2-1 in the Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League final Sunday at Croatian Park.

The two teams with the most Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League titles over the past 40 years will meet for this season's championship.

Top-seeded Croatian Eagles and No. 3 seed Bavarian SC each posted 2-1 victories in semifinal matches Sunday afternoon, setting the stage for next Sunday's final at Croatian Park.

It looks like it will go down to the wire as four teams are battling for the final three playoff spots in the Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League.

Reigning champion Croatian Eagles (13-1-1) are the only team to have clinched a berth in the four-team postseason tournament, which kicks off with semifinals on July 17.

By Chris Wright

Surely even those with the most liberal interpretation of the 'ball to hand' rule must admit that Equatorial Guinea Women defender Bruna probably should have conceded a penalty for her little brain-wobble against Austrailia?

Fortunately, especially for the referee's sake, the Aussies eventually went on to win 3-2.

Your intrepid rumor monger has been digging since his last article repeating reports linking Club America and Mexico defensive midfielder Pavel Pardo. Interim Head Coach Frank Klopas has also expressed an interest in Argentine attacking midfielder Sebastian Grazzini, saying the Fire have been following him.

[Editor's note: Shaun has done work for us for which we're forever indebted, including the 'Stache Bash shirt. We're more than happy to throw our name behind his idea. Read and please comment.]

I propose we have a group outing (filled out by some of the people over at Broad Street Hockey and The Good Phight) to the Lancaster Barnstormers on Saturday, July 9th.

B.J. Gottschlich had a pair of goals as Milwaukee Sport Club dealt Croatian Eagles their first loss of the Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League season with a 3-0 decision on Sunday afternoon.

Hans Borosch also scored and Matt Eisold recorded the shutout for Sport Club (7-4-2), which is tied with Bavarian SC for fourth place in the 10-team league – the final playoff position.

Nicklas Bendtner, sadly, looks like he is on his way out of The Emirates. His father/agent has confirmed today that he is open to the idea of switching clubs because of being tired of spending time on the bench. Personally, for me as a Arsenal fan it is not good news, I believe NB52 was never given a fair role here and having watched him on numerous occasions for The reserve sides back in 2005-6 and for Denmark and on his loan spell at Birmingham you can see the quality he has blessed with good feet, decent pace and good in the air he has it all.

Congratulations to AFC Wimbledon who have today been promoted to the Football League. Whenever I think of Wimbledon, I always remember this quote:

'It should be in the interests of football as a whole that major new stadia are encouraged where there is an untapped demand for major league football, such as in new towns.

For the second time in three weeks, weather wreaked havoc on the Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League schedule Sunday.

Only two of the five matches went on as scheduled, with the other three games postponed due to unplayable field conditions.

Milwaukee Sport Club earned its first victory of the spring with a 4-2 victory over Milwaukee Brewers FC.

After having their first two matches of the spring postponed, Madison United finally got to return to action in the Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League on Sunday afternoon.

It gave United manager Raj Rajani his first look at a months-long project: Essentially rebuilding the team's roster.

While trying to find out some information regarding the other franchise to join the MISL/USL for the upcoming 2011 MISL season I came accross some intersting finds:
Is this the new Syracuse Franchise Logo?
OR THIS?I also found this site: http://syracusescorpions.com/ which as you can see says "Coming Soon".

Jake Gleeson and Craig Henderson will get another chance to start their All Whites careers after being selected in a 23-man squad for internationals against Mexico and Australia in June.....

Gleeson, 20, was picked as back up to Glen Moss for this year's first friendly against China but was released to play for Portland Timbers in the MLS.

Well, that was suitably awful, wasn't it?

We lost. We deserved to lose. Now we're mathematically eliminated from winning the league, and find ourselves in a real battle to finish as high as 3rd.

Arsenal started pretty brightly, and had a couple of really good chances early on.

The start of the spring portion of the 2010-11 Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League season will have to wait, as all five scheduled matches were postponed Sunday.

A quartet of games scheduled for the Milwaukee area – Croatian Eagles vs. Club Latino, Milwaukee Kickers vs. Milwaukee Serbians, Milwaukee Sport Club vs.

The Croatian Eagles dominated the fall portion of the Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League season, winning eight of nine matches.

They open the spring part of the schedule Sunday afternoon against the only team they didn't defeat.

Club Latino, which played the Eagles to a 0-0 draw back on Sept.

The Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League, the state's top men's amateur league, is scheduled to kick off the spring portion of its schedule May 1.

Defending champion Croatian Eagles (8-0-1) lead the 10-team league after the fall round-robin with 25 points, with United Serbians (6-2-1, 19), Milwaukee Kickers (6-3-0, 18) and Bavarian SC (5-2-2, 17) occupying the other three playoff spots at the midway point.

I think I'm gonna drop the Thai Premier League from my list of games to see this season. It's so obvious Buriram PEA will win the title and don't be surprised if Buriram get promoted either. They sit 6th after their opening four games but crucially remain unbeaten.
Back in 2009 it looked like the TPL was on course to become the major league in the region but the nefarious influence of certain individuals, plus your run of the mill incompetence, means that 2010 was, at least in my feeble opinion, a bit of a let down, though I may have had a different view had Bangkok Glass managed to show consistency.

Justine Siegal doesn't throw like a girl. In fact, she just became the first female pitcher to throw batting practice in spring training on the major league level. She did so on Monday in the spring training for the Cleveland Indians. Check the Justine Siegal pictures below to get a look at the 36-year-old woman pitcher.

Due to a problem with our host's server, the Philly Soccer Page was offline for approximately an hour and a half on Tuesday night. We apologize for the interruption.

Union

The Union will introduce "a new team member" at Fado's on Thursday. Doors open at 11:30am with the introduction scheduled for noon.

Landon Donovan (right) has refused a loan move back to England. Will Beckham do the same?

The continuing "will he or won't he" saga regarding a potential move to England's Premier League hangs over David Beckham and the speculation refuses, for the next couple of days at least, to go away. Perhaps Beckham should put an end to it by announcing that he intends to prepare for the new season with the Los Angeles Galaxy, which begins on March 15th, and finally put the needs of his club ahead of those of his limited aspirations with the English national team.