Taking some well deserved time to goof off, a few Red Bulls players participated in an Iron Chef Cook Off at the infamous ESPNZone in Times Square. Each team was given thirty minutes to put together a dish, accompanied by a chef to guide them along. They would then be judged by a media panel that included reknowned pulitzer prize winning food critics, and on the other end of the spectrum - my personal fave - Shep Messing.

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Here's a great link for anyone wanting to brush up on the young kids set to step up in the Premier League this season and beyond. There's a few players here that even your humble Premiership blogger hasn't heard of. Click to continue reading...

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The Los Angeles Galaxy has traded Carlos Ruiz to Toronto FC, sources told SBI on Tuesday evening. Details of the deal were not available yet. To make room for Ruiz on the roster, TFC has waived French midfielder Laurent Robert.

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You wouldn't know that New England has spent most of the season as the class of the league and San Jose has spent most of the year as the worst team in the league based on their meeting on Saturday. The revamped Earthquakes thrashed a short-handed Revs side 4-0 to serve notice that their drive for a playoff spot isn't an exercise in futility.

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Good afternoon folks. If you are at work trying to catch up on everything you were supposed to be doing when you were watching Argentina-Brazil, don't worry. We will catch you up on some of the other news in the soccer world.

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The English Premier League is back, and not a minute too soon. After months of transfers and coaches hirings and firings and rumors and speculation on how the new EPL season would eventually shake out, we are finally into the season. No more wondering, the games are on and we will find out soon enough who the real contenders and fake pretenders are.

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It is that time of year again. Time for European leagues to kick off and time for American players to ply their trade throughout Europe (and Mexico).

This week marked the first week for the English Premier League and German Bundesliga, meaning several names joined the list of Americans playing abroad.

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1050 ESPN Radio in New York reports that Steel Construction is finally set to begin for Red Bull Park! More on this development as I receive word . . .

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The first group stage of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying is set to kick off on Wednesday with the U.S. national team in Guatemala City to take on Guatemala. The Americans will be favored but can't expect an easy game, especially considering they have never won a qualifier in Guatemala before.

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The Red Bulls are on a winning streak. In August. I swear.

With some gutsy play in the face of adversity, the Red Bulls lost their two defensive anchors in Parke and Cichero and still managed to blank the Canadians 2-0.

The first half was utter domination by a hungry home side, as the Red Bulls made Sutton work for the money.

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The Los Angeles Galaxy will introduce Bruce Arena as the team's new head coach at a press conference scheduled for 2pm ET today.

Arena and assistant coach Dave Sarachan will take over for former Galaxy head coach Ruud Gullit, who resigned a week ago, and their first game at the Galaxy helm will be Saturday against the Chicago Fire.

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As Dimitar's move to Manchester United - most likely the biggest-money move of the - get closer, the striker seems eager to ingratiate himself with the Fergie and the fanbase:

"People say I looked unhappy but if I was laughing when I was on the bench, they would say I was an idiot. Eric Cantona never smiled, but I don't know if anyone ever asked him why he didn't look happier. Click to continue reading...

And so, it begins. The offseason, if we even had one, is now officially over. EPL clubs are back at it, the Champions League qualifiers are in the final round and the hottie interns have left the office to return to campus. The signs, in other words, are everywhere: summer is ending. But don't be sad. Click to continue reading...

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Toronto FC forward Danny Dichio looked clear-headed and alert as he walked out of Giants Stadium following TFC's 2-0 loss to the Red Bulls. The big English striker left the match after just playing two minutes when Red Bulls defender Gabriel Cichero caught Dichio with an elbow to the face.

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Good afternoon everybody. Toronto FC is at Giants Stadium today to take on the New York Red Bulls in a key Eastern Conference clash. The winner today moves into playoff position while the loser falls into the trailing pack in the rugged East.

I will be providing running commentary for today's match so be sure to stay tuned to SBI for the latest on the action.

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Somebody stop the Earthquakes.

San Jose and it's revamped squad trounced the New England Revolution, 4-0, on Saturday, adding more momentum to an improbable playoff push and adding another team to an already crowded playoff chase.

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Somebody stop the Earthquakes.

San Jose and it's revamped squad trounced the New England Revolution, 4-0, on Saturday, adding more momentum to an improbable playoff push and adding another team to an already crowded playoff chase.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Former U.S. Under 20 forward/midfielder Johann Smith is set to make his debut for Toronto FC today against the New York Red Bulls after signing with TFC on Thursday.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Former U.S. Under 20 forward/midfielder Johann Smith is set to make his debut for Toronto FC today against the New York Red Bulls after signing with TFC on Thursday.

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Hello all. There is plenty of soccer to watch today so if you plan on watching some, this is your place to discuss it.

Whether it is EPL, Bundesliga or Ligue 1, if you are watching soccer today please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

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The Chicago Fire and D.C. United rekindle one of the most heated rivalries in MLS tonight as D.C. travels to Toyota Park to face Cuauhtemoc Blanco for the first time since his U.S. Open Cup dust-up against D.C. last month.

The match marks the debut of newly-acquired Fire forward Brian McBride, who will make his first appearance since leaving Fulham and signing with MLS.

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First, let's remind ourselves of how last season finished.

And here's how the table will look in May 2009 (yeah, right!):

1. Chelsea
It's boring to say, but this is a team that suffered the chaos of Jose Mourinho's sacking, the listlessness of Avram Grant's leadership, and was hit by multiple injuries and absences last year—and they still took the title to the last day and only lost the Champions League final on penalties. Click to continue reading...

The red-hot Hoops of FC Dallas will take their five-match unbeaten streak to Crew Stadium tonight to take on a Columbus team that has struggled in recent weeks (1-2-2 in past five).

Dallas will be looking to keep pressure on Real Salt Lake and Houston at the top of the Western Conference standings while Columbus tries to regain second place in the East, as well as avoid falling into the pack chasing the final playoff spots in the East.

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Canadian Under-23 national team striker Will Johnson has signed with Major League Soccer and could join his new MLS team within a week, sources confirmed to SBI on Saturday. The former Heerenveen striker and one-time Chicago Fire player is the target of multiple MLS teams.

The Chicago Fire still holds Johnson's rights, meaning teams interested in Johnson must strike a deal with the Fire, which retained his rights after offering him an MLS contract in 2006, which Johnson turned down before accepting a deal with Heerenveen.

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The English Premier League season is kicking off today and I'm sure many of you will be spending the day camped out in front of the TV (or at the soccer bar) as the best league in the world begins anew.

Here are today's games:

• West Brom at Arsenal
• Blackburn at Everton
• Stoke at Bolton
• Fulham at Hull City
• Tottenham at Middlesbrough
• Wigan at West Ham United
• Liverpool at Sunderland

If you will be watching (or have watched) today's matches, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

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