Last fall IMS reported on the surprise demolition of the beer garden at the northwest corner of the National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine, Minn., home field for the Minnesota Stars. The beer garden had become a fixture at the stadium for Stars fans since it was built for the Thunder in the spring of [.

The atmosphere was upbeat and the play was fast-paced as the defending 2011 NASL Champion Minnesota Stars kicked off their 2012 preseason by hosting a combine at the National Sports Center Fieldhouse on Friday. Although the combine was targeted for Minnesota players, several candidates from other states and counties, even as far away as France, [.

The National Sports Center brings us yet another episode of NSC TV that highlights the outstanding season of the NSC Minnesota Stars NASL soccer team. This weeks episode is a preview of the Minnesota Stars vs the Fort Lauderdale Strikers NASL Championship series that begins in Blaine at the NSC Stadium at 7:30 Saturday evening.

Photo courtesy of the NSC and Kyle Hanson

BLAINE, Minn. (July 23, 2011) – Championship games for all divisions of the 27th annual Schwan's USA CUP, presented by puma, were played on Saturday, July 23, at the National Sports Center (NSC) in Blaine, Minn., 20 minutes north of Minneapolis/Saint Paul.

Photo courtesy of the NSC and Kyle Hanson

BLAINE, Minn. (July 23, 2011) – Championship games for all divisions of 27th annual Schwan's USA CUP, presented by puma , were played on Saturday, July 23, at the National Sports Center (NSC) in Blaine, Minn., 20 minutes north of Minneapolis/Saint Paul.

Standing water near or sometimes in fields was not uncommon after torrential rain falls. Photo by Kyle Hanson

The largest youth soccer tournament in the western hemisphere, Schwan's USA CUP, will wrap up on Saturday with semi-final and championship games. The tournament, held at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn.

Standing water near or sometimes in fields was not uncommon after torrential rain falls. Photo by Kyle Hanson

The largest youth soccer tournament in the western hemisphere, Schwan's USA CUP, will wrap up on Saturday with semi-final and championship games. The tournament held at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn.

Lagos dribbles over a Fire defender. Photo by Jeremy Olson - www.digitalgopher.net

The Minnesota Stars defeated the Fire SC on Saturday evening with a dominating 5-2 win. The game was played at Braemar Courtney Fields in Edina on a incredibly hot and humid Saturday evening with the heat index hanging around 100° F.

Lagos dribbles over a Fire defender. Photo by Jeremy Olson - www.digitalgopher.net

The Minnesota Stars defeated the Fire SC on Saturday evening with a dominating 5-2 win. The game was played at Braemar Courtney Fields in Edina on a incredibly hot and humid Saturday evening with the heat index hanging around 100° F.

STARTERS
JUST ANNOUNCED: Friendly on Wed Aug 10 - USA v Mexico at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia PA at 8pm CT on ESPN2, ESPN3.com and Univision.
dN
A note to all NSC Minnesota Stars fans from the team: All day Saturday, show your Stars ticket at Chipotle near stadium for buy one get one free entrees!

Last week a few Sporting KC players gave a clinic for the National Sports Center for the Disabled. Kevin Ellis, Luke Sassano, Seth Sinovic and Graham Zusi were all really great with the kids and all appeared to have a genuinely fun time. Do not want to post the article twice so go read it on the Examiner site.

Editor's Note: Whenever and wherever there's free beer and soccer WE WANT TO KNOW. Send us your stories and pictures of that help us prove that we're right in "Building American Soccer One Beer at a Time." The place? freebeermovement(at)gmail.com. The time? Right now.
The Dark Clouds are a wide open group of jackasses that support soccer in Minnesota, focusing mostly on supporting Minnesota's second division NASL side, the NSC Minnesota Stars.

-Sat May 28
NSC Minnesota Stars v - 7:30pm CT
Venue: National Sports Center - Blaine MN
Anyone bringing new people to the game can enter the contest to win prizes.
If you are planning to come to the game this Saturday its suggested that you bring a friend that has never been to a game before and then make sure to stop by the Dark Clouds Pre-Game Tailgate to win.

The NSC Minnesota Stars defeated the Atlanta Silverbacks on Saturday evening by a score of 3-0.

Here are the video highlights brought to you by the Minnesota Stars and the National Sports Center video crew who produce the games for the Stars.

STARTERS
Monterrey are CONCACAF Champions! Huge congrats to them. They are deserving winners, having not lost a single game in the tournament.
dN
Brian Mullen, midfielder for the Colorado Rapids, was given a 9 game suspension in addition to a 1 game red card suspension for the horrible tackle that severely broke the leg of Seattle winger Steve Zakuani.

STARTERS
In all competitions in the 2010/11 season at Barcelona Lionel Messi has scored an astounding 53 goals in 51 games.
STORY OF THE DAY
Clint Dempsey had a big had for Fulham scoring their first two goals in a 3-0 home win over Bolton.

STORY OF THE DAY
Steve Helman of the Boston Globe on Taylor Twellman and the concussions that ended his career.
NSC MINNESOTA STARS
Home Opener
-Sat Apr 30
NSC Minnesota Stars v Carolina RailHawks - 7:30pm
Venue: National Sports Center Stadium - Blaine MN
Tickets
Tailgating begins around 5:30.

STARTERS
Paul Gardner of Soccer America reacts to the horrible tackles that broke the legs of 2 of MLS's brightest attackers this weekend - Steve Zakuani and David Ferreira.
-While I don't ever agree with Gardner 100% on anything, his anger at the aggression of these fouls is right on the money.

BLAINE, Minn. (FEBRUARY 7, 2011) – The NSC Minnesota Stars announced Monday the completion of the home schedule including kick off times for the 2011 North American Soccer League season. All 14 league home games will be played at the National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine, Minnesota with 13 of the 14 home games starting at 7:30 p.

BLAINE, Minn. (January 31, 2011)

The NSC Minnesota Stars pro soccer team will hold an invitation-only combine March 2-4 at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. Head Coach and Director of Soccer Operations Manny Lagos said he expects to invite 60-80 players to the tryout, which will feature two-a-day training sessions on all three days.

Dean Johnson, former owner of the Minnesota Thunder and owner of RFC Liège in Belgium has disappeared and not been heard from after a Belgium sports magazine uncovered the Minnesota native's sordid financial history.

I asked him questions about his past in the USA, his financial problems here in Belgium, and so on.

The Minnesota Stars press release couldn't have said it any better:

Chants of "You'll never beat Joe Warren" will no longer pour from the stands and beer garden at the National Sports Center Stadium. NSC Minnesota Stars goalkeeper Joe Warren announced his retirement Thursday after 13 seasons of professional soccer in his native Minnesota.

If you missed my earlier report on the Minnesota Stars Press Conference this past week or my interview with CEO Djorn Buchholz you may want to check those out first. But if you care to watch the press conference in its entirety the National Sports Center video-recorded it for your viewing pleasure.

If you missed my earlier report on the Minnesota Stars Press Conference this past week or my interview with CEO Djorn Buchholz you may want to first check those out first. But if you care to watch the press conference in it's entirety the National Sports Center video recorded it for your viewing pleasure.

The Minnesota Stars held a press conference today announcing that with the help of the North American Soccer League (NASL) they will be back for the 2011 season and will play their games at the National Sports Center.

Aaron Davidson - Photos by Jermey Olsen - www.digitalgopher.