Lets start off Monday's edition of Major Link Soccer with a local flavor.

The North Sound SeaWolves FC have moved from their Everett home to new digs in Edmonds. The club plans to make it official this week. As you may know, the SeaWolves play in the PDL North Division. This is the same division that is home to PDL champs Kitsap Pumas and formerly the Tacoma Tide -- now Seattle Sounders FC U23 -- just to name a few.

The offseason is now kicking into gear as training camp is open and the Seattle Sounders' first cuts should be announced shortly. In this week's episode of Nos Audietis, we discuss the Sounders' new partnership with the Tacoma Tide and their subsequent rebranding as Sounders U-23. The team will play in the PDL and give Sounders Academy products an opportunity to stay close to come during the offseason.

Tonight I was watching Metro Sports Zone on Metro Sports, watching a feature that was being done on Kyle Miller and Matt Kuhn and their attempts to become the 5th and 6th local players on Sporting KC's current roster. It struck a thought in my head that I'd been thinking about yesterday after an announcement from the Seattle Sounders.

Tonight I was watching Metro Sports Zone on Metro Sports, watching a feature that was being done on Kyle Miller and Matt Kuhn and their attempts to become the 5th and 6th local players on Sporting KC's current roster. It struck a thought in my head that I'd been thinking about yesterday after an announcement from the Seattle Sounders.

This past week has been a whirlwind for Fire fans. We had the MLS SuperDraft hoopla last week with a couple of new player signings sprinkled in (Robayo and Puppo). On the heels of that we had a sponsor announcement and new jersey unveiling. Somewhat lost in the shuffle was the announcement of the changes to the U.

Columbus Crew technical director Brian Bliss can add U.S. Under-20 national team assistant coach to his resume after becoming the first assistant appointed to Tab Ramos' staff on Wednesday.

Bliss will maintain his duties with the Crew while assuming the added international responsibilities.

New England soccer fans who can't get enough of the sport will have plenty of opportunities to watch live soccer this summer, thanks in part to the arrival if three new USL Premier Development League (PDL) teams in the region. Boston Victory Soccer Club, Connecticut FC Azul and Worcester Hydra FC have all been announced over the past month as expansion clubs in the PDL.

By Sharon Hom
The Kansas Magic bolstered their roster this week by adding 2 players familiar to followers of college and indoor soccer in the Kansas City area. Both locals participated in the Missouri Comets' invitational tryouts prior to the 2010/2011 season.
Midfielder/Forward James Katajwa played at Park University (MO) and was named to the 2007/2008 PASL All-Star team during his 3 years with the Kansas City Kings.

The United Soccer Leagues released a statement this morning in conjunction with a press conference in Tampa this morning, stating that VisionPro Sports Institute (VSI) has chosen to establish an international youth soccer academy in Tampa, Florida. With that institute VSI will move forward in 2012 by operating a PDL, W-League and Super-20 team.

The United Soccer Leagues released a statement this morning in conjunction with a press conference in Tampa this morning, stating that VisionPro Sports Institute (VSI) has chosen to establish an international youth soccer academy in Tampa, Florida. With that institute VSI will move forward in 2012 by operating a PDL, W-League and Super-20 team.

The United Soccer Leagues will hold a press conference with VisionPro Sports Institute on Wednesday in Tampa to announce a new addition to the USL family. VisionPro Sports Institute (VSI) along with USL President Tim Holt will announce that VSI has struck an agreement with the elite Tampa area soccer club Brandon FC Flames.

After a long hiatus (for a number of reasons), here are the final (in most cases) attendance figures for the primary men's and women's outdoor soccer leagues in North America for 2011. As always, corrections and additions are welcome.

THE MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER G Total Avg. Seattle Sounders 17 654,431 38,496 Los Angeles Galaxy 17 396,693 23,335 Vancouver Whitecaps 17 346,909 20,406 Toronto FC 17 344,535 20,267 New York Red Bulls 17 335,740 19,749 Portland Timbers 17 320,051 18,827 Philadelphia Union 17 310,401 18,259 Sporting Kansas City 17 302,776 17,810 Houston Dynamo 17 300,796 17,694 Real Salt Lake 17 299,047 17,591 DC United 17 258,332 15,196 Colorado Rapids 17 252,248 14,838 Chivas USA 17 252,102 14,830 Chicago Fire 17 242,648 14,273 New England Revolution 17 224,770 13,222 FC Dallas 17 218,636 12,861 Columbus Crew 17 207,147 12,185 San Jose Earthquakes 17 201,587 11,858 MLS TOTAL 306 5,468,849 17,872 NORTH AMERICAN SOCCER LEAGUE G Total Avg.

Photo by Stephen Brashear/ISIphotos.com

By JASON MITCHELL

More than the usual smattering of Rave Green gear sprinkled the streets of downtown Seattle Wednesday. A plane circled high above Lake Union in the late afternoon, trailing a 3,000 square-foot Sounders FC scarf visible from downtown to the city of Bellevue across Lake Washington.

So the U.S. Open Cup is tonight. Unfortunately, the Timbers aren't a part of it. Still, it's an important tournament regardless what MLS would have you believe. As the nation's longest running tournament dating back to 1914 I think it's important to stay tuned to what's happening even if our side isn't represented.

I remember first watching Jamie Watson play for Real Salt Lake back in 2005. Back then RSL was a dismal side with little direction. You could almost say it's fitting that Watson began his professional career there. For two years Jamie battled for playing time and failed to find his groove. It's perfectly understandable; Watson entered the league as a young man who was legally able to drink.

The Austin Aztex will be back playing soccer next year just as they were when they started out in 2008, participating in the USL Premier Development League (PDL). David Markley, founder and minority owner of the previous Aztex franchise spoke to former Aztex supporters, Eberly's Army (formerly Chantico's Army) on Sunday giving them the news.

The Austin Aztex will be back playing soccer next year just as they were when they started out in 2008, participating in the USL Premier Development League (PDL). David Markley, founder and minority owner of the previous Aztex franchise spoke to former Aztex supporters, Eberly's Army (formerly Chantico's Army) on Sunday giving them the news.

Philadelphia Union's development system took a giant leap forward Saturday night.

Saturday night's appearances by midfielders Zach Pfeffer and Morgan Langley marked the first time a true local product has played in a regular season game for the Union.

Until now, Philly-area players haven't been represented at PPL Park in a game that mattered.

Sporting Kansas City made one move today before the roster freeze at 4pm Central time today. Today KC announced that they'd acquired Kenyan defender, Lawrence Olum. Olum spent most of the year with Orlando City SC of the USL Pro division. The 27 year old Olum played in 21 games for Orlando City in league play, recording only 1 assist.

Left out of the Joe Tait signing and information surrounding it is the fact that the Englishman was being tracked, indirectly, by the Union for nearly two years.

Brendan Burke, the Union's Reserve League team head coach, is good friends with Ben Collan and Stuart Hayers, both of whom are agents, and former coaches, of Tait at S&B Kinesis, a sports management and sports performance company.

Photo by Don Feria/ISIphotos.com

The FC Dallas community suffered another loss of life on Tuesday when 18-year-old academy player Jose Perez was killed in a car accident while on the way to practice at San Jacinto College.

"Today is another very sad day for the entire FC Dallas community," Hunt Sports Group vice president Dan Hunt said.

The Philadelphia Union have signed Joe Tait, formerly a defender for the Dayton Dutch Lions of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) PRO division.

Tait is listed as part of the Union's salary cap as of 9/1/2011, according to the Major League Soccer Players Union. Seen as a prospect at center back, the former 2010 USL Premier Development League (PDL) Defender of the Year will make the minimum MLS salary, a prorated $42,000 this season,

The 20-year-old's status with the Union has been up in the air since Tait tweeted about being disappointed that his paperwork had not gone through in time to play the Columbus Crew on the road.

It was announced this week that midfielder Danny Barrera will be joining Serbian Super Liga club FK Spartak Zlatibor Voda on a transfer from the Ventura County Fusion of the PDL.

William Conwell (who contributed to this report) and I attended our first Portland Timbers training session this morning, and even in this quiet week there's still some interesting news afoot.

Exhibit A: the presence of Alex Nimo, the former Benson HS star who played for the USL Timbers while on loan from Real Salt Lake from 2009-2010.

The air was a little crisp in Chicago on Sunday and that means that fall is just around the corner. With fall comes college soccer and in fact exhibition games are already underway. Regular season games kick-off on August 26th. The NCAA Pre-season rankings were released earlier this month. The Chicago Fire are looking primed to grab some top talent with a top five pick in the draft.

As reported originally on Soccer by Ives a couple of weeks ago, the Chicago Fire have signed 17 year-old striker Kellen Gulley as a Home Grown Player. Gulley comes from the Chicago Fire Juniors - Mississippi and becomes the first player from the three Juniors programs based outside of Chicagoland to sign with the club's first team.

Carolina RailHawks head coach Martin Rennie, 36, has been named as head coach of the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps, beginning after the completion of the 2011 season. Rennie, who is in his third season with the RailHawks, has already qualified the club for a playoff spot with almost a third of the season to go, fashioning a 14-2-3 record and a twelve point cushion at the top of the NASL table over second place Puerto Rico.

Carolina RailHawks head coach Martin Rennie, 36, has been named as head coach of the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps, beginning after the completion of the 2011 season. Rennie, who is in his third season with the RailHawks, has already qualified the club for a playoff spot with almost a third of the season to go, fashioning a 14-2-3 record and a twelve point cushion at the top of the NASL table over second place Puerto Rico.

4 Trialists featured, Darryl Roberts, a T&T striker with decent pedigree (Dutch league) currently plying his trade in Turkey whose been in camp this week, Koffi Chrysostome, a CB, played a year at Metz in Ligue 1 (France) and Benin's captain, also plying his trade in Turkey (same club as Roberts), Dillon Barna, another CB, currently playing with Ventura County Fusion in the PDL, but played last year with FC St.

The Kitsap Pumas captured the 2011 PDL Championship by downing the Laredo Heat 1-0 Saturday. The teams met after the Pumas had defeated former champion the Thunder Bay Chill 3-1 in the semifinals, while the Heat knocked off the Long Island Rough Riders by a 4-1 score to enter the championship match.

The Kitsap Pumas captured the 2011 PDL Championship by downing the Laredo Heat 1-0 Saturday. The teams met after the Pumas had defeated former champion the Thunder Bay Chill 3-1 in the semifinals, while the Heat knocked off the Long Island Rough Riders by a 4-1 score to enter the championship match.

Mid-week game day! I, personally, can't wait to watch tonight's game. It's looking like it will be a lot of fun, regardless of who starts. That said, I'm a little worried that I won't be able to go. I've contracted some insufferable Summer cold that's just wreaking havoc on my lungs right now. I certainly won't be able to sing and chant with the TA boys.

Chicago Fire PDL vs. Michigan Bucks LIVE Today @ 4:30 PM CST

The Chicago Fire PDL team take on the Michigan Bucks today at 4:30 PM CST. You can watch the game on USLLive.com or just click the link above. This game is for the Central Conference Semifinals. Winner takes all.

One of the more unhinging moments for summer visitors to the Deep South might be when they lay down for sleep. Attempting to rest their heads on pillows for a quiet night's sleep after a day full of eating beignets and touring antebellum plantation homes, they likely first notice that annoying symphony of cicada song that is anything but tranquil.

Manchester City players staked out their place in the sun Friday in Long Beach playing beach soccer games and other activities with kids from East LA (Photo courtesy MUFC).

*Before Manchester City plays the Galaxy Sunday at Home Depot Center (tickets, starting at $30, are still available for the 1 p.

Winning 11 out of 14 games hasn't been enough to give the Real Colorado Foxes control of the team's playoff destiny.

Instead of running away with the division, the Highlands Ranch-based side faces a two-game tie with its closest competitor and the possibility that this weekend could leave the team in first, or sitting out of the playoffs in third.

The Chicago Fire may have a lot of trouble winning MLS Regular season games but the roots of the proverbial tree are strong as the system itself churns out victories. First we turn to the Chicago Fire U-23 PDL teamthat have two games left and are tied at the top of the standings with the Michigan Bucks.

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It could be a mess out there this weekend for fans heading to the Galaxy-Real Madrid game at the Rose Bowl.

Real Madrid arrived in Southern California Monday.

Me, I'll be heading the short half dozen miles or so to Home Depot Center (I take surface streets anyway) to watch Thierry Henry and the Red Bulls against Chivas USA.

On Friday night, the New Hampshire Phantoms (PDL) and Western Mass Pioneers kicked off the Fourth of July weekend with action at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, MA. Striker Christopher Tsonis scored the lone goal of the match to give the Phantoms the edge in a 1-0 road victory.

A young #22, Tony Glavin, dribbles the ball.

A young man is picked up in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce to sign a new contract at the age of 19 and who shortly thereafter was keeping company with international football/soccer stars. Jumpcut thirty years later to see that same man driving a school bus that's seen better days (better decades, actually) full of unheralded young soccer players.