Flawless logic, no assumptions:

The 2008 MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew might seem like a team that is destined to return to the playoffs next year, but all it takes is a few decisions to turn any powerhouse into another team in the middle of the pack. Conversely, the expansion Seattle Sounders stand poised to return to the playoffs next year and a second good off-season of player moves could turn the Sounders into a serious title contender.

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GBS helped lead the Crew to a second straight Supporter's Shield trophy. (Getty Images)

We all expected big things in 2009 for the Columbus Crew. Anytime you win a MLS Cup and retain the bulk of a lineup that got you that title you expect to repeat or come extremely close to do so. As we saw last week the Crew fell short of that this year as they lost to Real Salt Lake at home in the semi-finals of the eastern conference.

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Just a wild mess of 'em today:

• Despite Roma rift, Baptista is staying.
  
• Van der Vaart considering his options.
  
• Crew to dump Robbie Rogers?
  
• Xavi dying to get Cesc at Barca.
  
• Exiting Madrid: Guti?
  
• Yaya: I might move, not to City.

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It's the offseason in Columbus, and that means rumors about players and contracts and whatnot are as easy to find as a Buckeye hoodie. Robbie Rogers seems to have become the first player to fall victim of fan speculation.

First, to grease the wheels of gossip, Robbie himself tweetered that he was on his way out of Columbus.

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The MLS playoffs resume on Friday with the Western Conference final, but the playoffs are already over for the four teams eliminated this past weekend. How those teams respond to their first-round exits, and how they deal with very important off-seasons, will determine if they are back in the post-season in 2010.

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The MLS playoffs resume on Friday with the Western Conference final, but the playoffs are already over for the four teams eliminated this past weekend. How those teams respond to their first-round exits, and how they deal with very important off-seasons, will determine if they are back in the post-season in 2010.

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Eric Brunner and Columbus try to slow down Yura Movsisyan and RSL tonight. (Getty Images)

Tonight the second leg of the first round playoff matches kickoff in Columbus as the Crew host Real Salt Lake. RSL holds a slight 1-0 lead in the goals department in this two-legged series thanks to the late goal from Robbie Rogers last weekend.

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I've already taken a brief look at the Fire-Revolution first round series, but haven't spent any time on the three other Conference Semifinals going on around the country in the next couple of weeks. That's about to change though. Click after the jump for a quick rundown of the 'other' first round series.

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Class A Section 5 Girls Soccer Rogers (2) 3 #10 (1A) Park Center (1) 2 at Park Center F/SO > Class AA Section 8 Girls Soccer Brainerd (1) 2 Elk River 4 at SCSU FINAL > Class A Section 1 Girls Soccer Kasson-Mantorville (5) La Crescent (2) at Rochester 7:00 PM >Â Waiting on Score
Class A Section 2 Girls Soccer Mankato East (5) Mankato West (2) at Mankato West 4:00 PM >Â Waiting on Score
Class AA Section 5 Girls Soccer #6 (2A) Centennial (2) #7 (2A) Mounds View (1) at Mounds View 7:00 PM >Â Waiting on Score
Class AA Section 6 Girls Soccer Robbinsdale Armstrong (3) #4 (2A) Wayzata (1) at Wayzata 5:00 PM > Waiting on Score
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Class A Section 5 Girls Soccer Rogers (2) 3 #10 (1A) Park Center (1) 2 at Park Center F/SO > Class AA Section 8 Girls Soccer Brainerd (1) 2 Elk River 4 at SCSU FINAL > Class A Section 1 Girls Soccer Kasson-Mantorville (5) La Crescent (2) at Rochester 7:00 PM >Â POSTPONED Will be played at Rochester Regional Stadium 7PM
Class A Section 2 Girls Soccer Mankato East (5) Mankato West (2) at Mankato West 4:00 PM >Â Game on 10/24 at Dakota Meadows Middle School
Class AA Section 5 Girls Soccer #6 (2A) Centennial (2) 2 #7 (2A) Mounds View (1) 0 at Mounds View 7:00 PM >Â
Class AA Section 6 Girls Soccer Robbinsdale Armstrong (3) 1 #4 (2A) Wayzata (1) 2 at Wayzata 5:00 PM >
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Because my e-mail in-box is clogged, I give you:

*Word that San Pedro's Carlos Martinez (Wilmington Jr.) and Fontana's Victor Chavez were selected to the U.S. Under-17 team that will play in the World Cup for the age group later this month in Nigeria. Full squad and schedule here.

*A Q&A with Robbie Rogers of Rolling Hills Estates in the wake of his World Cup qualifying performance here.

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Fanhouse's Brian Strauss tracked down Robbie Rogers a.k.a The Ohio Player to get his thoughts on qualifying, Bobby Blue Eyes and mortality. It's a pretty good read; if I'm using the Irvine Welsh Scale Of Readable Textsâ„¢ I'd say it's better than Glue but not nearly as brilliant/messed up as Filth. Click to continue reading...

Benjamin Franklin once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

If that's true, then the coach and attacking players for Columbus' MLS side are certifiably insane.

Fellas: No matter how many times you take the ball down the wing to the corner and cross it in hoping for someone to miracle it into the goal, it ain't gonna happen.

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The Crew outshot United 8-2 in front of 16,000 rain soaked fans last night at RFK Stadium.

None of The Massive's shots found the net.

Columbus, who needed the win to secure their second-straight Supporter's Shield, played as sloppy as the marsh-like field. There was little spark to be found all night, and the few times The Crew threatened to score the chance was squandered.

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The 2-0 first-half deficit made it seem unlikely, but the US were able to battle back to match points with Mexico, and therefore, win the group. Well done, boys! Here are some thoughts from the game:

-It was great to see the US create so many chances. You'd like to see us finish more of those (obviously), but on another day, it could have easily been 5-2.

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                                                                    Photo by ISIphotos.com

Jonathan Bornstein's 95th minute header helped give the U.S. national team a dramatic 2-2 tie against Costa Rica and helped the Americans clinch first place in the CONCACAF World Cup on Wednesday night.

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                                                                    Photo by ISIphotos.com

Jonathan Bornstein's 95th minute header helped give the U.S. national team a dramatic 2-2 tie against Costa Rica and helped the Americans clinch first place in the CONCACAF World Cup on Wednesday night.

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That was bizarre. But it ended up being bizarre with a good ending, so whatevs.

With a shocking last second goal from Jonathan Bornstein off a corner, the US came back to draw 2-2 with a time wastey Costa Rica and finish atop the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying group. Atrocious defensive play marred the first half for the US and put them in that 2-0 hole, but their tenacity down the stretch was admirable and perhaps a credit to their desire to put a smile on Charlie Davies' face.

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No LIVE tonight, but we have a preview look from ESPN and I'll be back in about 30 with the line-ups (as well as the usual wrap bits after).UPDATE:Howard; Cherundolo, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Bornstein, Feilhaber, Bradley, Holden, Donovan, Altidore, CaseyBench: Guzan, Conrad, Torres, Rogers, Cooper, Spector, Clark- Greg Seltzer Click to continue reading...

Excuses, excuses.

We can talk about Robbie Rogers having a bad ankle.

We can talk about not having Chad Marshall or Frankie Hejduk.

We can talk about not having the right guys in the starting 11.

We can talk about the opposing team turning the penalty spot into a divot.

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That's EXACTLY what I needed. Damn. Damn it felt good to come back and win in my house. You hear that Columbus? My house. Mwa haha. And Guille is mine too. Poor, trusting fools.
Anyway, thanks for the three points! Was it deserved? I don't know, probably not, but you know what? I don't care, this totally gets us back on track. Click to continue reading...

The Columbus Crew had a chance to become the first MLS team to reach the knockout rounds of the CONCACAF Champions League, but fell short with just seconds remaining as a late equalizer forced the Crew to settle for a 1-1 tie vs. Deportivo Saprissa at Crew Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Crew looked on its way to clinching a top-two spot in its group before Alexander Robinson headed home an equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time to negate a first-half penalty kick from Robbie Rogers.

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The Columbus Crew had a chance to become the first MLS team to reach the knockout rounds of the CONCACAF Champions League, but fell short with just seconds remaining as a late equalizer forced the Crew to settle for a 1-1 tie vs. Deportivo Saprissa at Crew Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Crew looked on its way to clinching a top-two spot in its group before Alexander Robinson headed home an equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time to negate a first-half penalty kick from Robbie Rogers.

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The Columbus Crew allowed a goal in stoppage time to draw 1-1 at home to Saprissa in the CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday. They took the lead in the 26th minute through a Robbie Rogers penalty, but Alexander Robinson got the late equalizer for Saprissa. The result leaves both teams in contention to advance on the final matchday on October 20th. Click to continue reading...

It's all going well for the Columbus Crew at the moment. After their stumbling start to 2009, things have long been smoothed out as the team clinched a playoff spot after the weekend's results. The Crew have an opportunity to further their international pedigree with a win against Deportivo Saprissa tonight (8pm, FSC), which would lock up second place in Group C and advance them through to the Champions League quarterfinals.

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Today it has been confirmed that youngster Shaun Cummings has left Chelsea and has signed a permanent deal with Reading. Cummings will link up once more with Brendan Rogers who was recently appointed as the new Royals manager after his stint at Watford. Shaun was one of the unlucky ones who never made it into contention for the first team during his time at Chelsea since the age of 12. Click to continue reading...

Today it has been confirmed that youngster Shaun Cummings has left Chelsea and has signed a permanent deal with Reading. Cummings will link up once more with Brendan Rogers who was recently appointed as the new Royals manager after his stint at Watford. Shaun was one of the unlucky ones who never made it into contention for the first team during his time at Chelsea since the age of 12. Click to continue reading...

The best team in Major League Soccer faces the worst in the last MLS match of the weekend as the COlumbus Crew take on the New York Red Bulls.

Given the sad state of the Red Bulls it's almost a sin to remind folks that this is a rematch of last year's MLS Cup, but it is.

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Not many surprises here.

The WPS awards were handed out Saturday night ahead of Sunday's WPS All-Star game in St. Louis.

The six award winners:

*Golden Boot Award - Marta (Sol)
*Defender of the Year - Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers)
*Coach of the Year - Abner Rogers (Sol)
*Goalkeeper of the Year - Hope Solo (Saint Louis Athletica)
*Sportswoman of the Year - Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC)
* Player of the Year Award - Marta (Sol)

Quotable:

"Each player in the league has it as their goal to try for an award like this," said Marta on being named WPS MVP.

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Sol 0 Sky Blue FC 1

It's a well-deserved lead for the underdogs against a flat Sol. Coach Abner Rogers removed midfielder McCall Zerboni for defender Sharolta Nonen after the straight red, but the Sol will need to do more than that to come from behind. Which team had the most rest coming into this game anyway?

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(Left over from a few conversations with the Crew for a story that has not yet run. Don't worry -- they're off this weekend, so they'll still have a five-game win streak and eight-game unbeaten streak in MLS play.)
Do the Columbus Crew play a more direct style when Guillermo Barros Schelotto isn't in the lineup? Click to continue reading...

Last night the Columbus Crew hosted it's first ever CONCACAF Champions League match, taking on the Puerto Rico Islanders. It was the first meaningful international match the Crew have played since 2003.

The Islanders came in and immediately bunkered, hoping to take a tie and a point back to the island for the second leg of this home and home, total-goals series.

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Goals from substitute Steven Lenhart in the 58th minute and Robbie Rogers in the 79th gave MLS champions Columbus Crew a 2-0 victory over USL-1 side Puerto Rico Islanders at Crew Stadium last night in both teams'Â Group C opening match of the CONCACAF Champions League. Puerto Rico Islanders (0-1-0) vs. Click to continue reading...

The 7-4-10 Galaxy play the 9-4-8 Fire in Chicago live on ESPN2 at 6 p.m.

A Galaxy win would vault them over recent conquerors the Sounders for second place in the Western Conference; a Fire victory would see them pull within a point of Eastern Conference leaders Columbus (who incidentally beat the Puerto Rican Islanders 2-0 in the CONCACAF Champions League last night, winning on a goal by Rolling Hills Estates' Robbie Rogers).

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The Columbus Crew held up at home against the Puerto Rico Islanders in their CONCACAF Champions League Group C opener. Steven Lenhart (57th) and Robbie Rogers (78th) scored for Columbus in the 2-0 win. Crew keeper Will Hesmer needed one save for the shutout. Things weren't as simple for DC United in Group B. Click to continue reading...