STARTERS
Both Charlie Davies and Tim Ream were named to their respective team's game day 18 player roster for this weekend.
dN
Today was the 2nd preseason game of the year for Vancouver and guess what: "20'- old friend Atiba Harris gets first caution for hard tackle on sideline against Bengelloun".

If you' re any sort of women's soccer fan, you know about Alex Morgan.

The 22-year-old wunderkind, known as the "super sub" during the Women's World Cup last summer and in the recent CONCACAF Olympic qualifying matches, has a nose for the goal. The former Cal soccer star has also been noted for her amazing mix of strength and beauty which makes her the epitome of Pretty Tough.

I've got to admit, feeling like a loser has become a part of my identity, low self-confidence hard-wired into my DNA by virtue of too many years of hardship. On Saturday morning, as Arsenal destroyed Blackburn 7-1, I got to feel like a winner again. And it felt good. Really good.

In terms of pure bliss, I don't know that I've sincerely enjoyed any weekend of sports more than the past one.

Last night the US Soccer's "Camp Cupcake" Team followed up Saturday night's 1-0 win over Venezuela with a 1-0 win over Panama. I admit that the "Camp Cupcake" moniker is not my favorite for the annual US Soccer winter camp that primarily gives numerous MLS players and some European journeymen an extended audition for the US National Team, but I think it's important to use this moniker in light of the apparent "every match is a live or die match" attitude that seems to dominate the most vocal of the US Soccer fan base.

Thursday's big event at Quaker Plaza, 555 W. Monroe, Chicago, IL marked the first live presentation of the partnership between Quaker Oats and the Chicago Fire. Chicago Fire Soccer Club owner Andrew Hauptman, Chicago Fire players, Quaker Foods and Snacks North America president Jose Luis Prado and Quaker Oats Company employees were all on hand in addition to some other civic leaders, curious fans, and members of the media.

Episode 05: MLS and the Boy Scouts

In this episode, Ginge expresses his concern about MLS and the Boy Scouts of American forming a partnership. As a soccer fan, I feel it sends the wrong message. As an Eagle Scout, it's another reminder that something I worked very hard to earn has been sullied by a narrow minded view of the world.

Episode 04: Wynalda is Even Crazier Than We Thought

On this special edition, I react to Eric Wynalda's free form comedy show at today's NSCAA Convention in Kansas City. The details of which were brought to us via Twitter thanks to Jonathan Tannenwald. More importantly, I'm joined by Sarah Wilson who was there in person for the entire speech and offers her reactions.

Two shirts we hope to never see on the field for the USMNT again...The new year is less than a week old and today (supposedly) Major League Soccer is releasing the 2012 schedule. American soccer is right around the corner! There's no time like the present to make a few "New Beers Resolutions" for both the upcoming domestic season and the year as a whole.

When even the Revolution are teasing swatches and releasing well-received jersey designs, it's obvious that MLS kits are seeing good days. Sales are up, sponsors are taking real estate away from awkward team names, badges are common, third kits are garish and beautiful, and little embellishments are actually adding soul to a league identity once formed from scratch by an apparel company's marketing division.

U.S. Soccer released its "Best of" nominee lists for 2011 (link to Facebook voting). Categories from "Male and Female Athletes of the Year", "Best Goal", "Best Fan Moments" and the like are all up for grabs.
The one that concerned us the most was the "Best Twitter" account which featured loads of USMNT and USWNT players and a few big media accounts.

It took me too long, but I cracked open Long Range Goals, by Beau Dure last night. An inability to sleep combined with strong writing meant that I also finished the book. Dure you may know if you read USAToday, frequent SB Nation's MMA blogs or read ESPNw, or if really dedicated you read his blog (SportsMyriad).

U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati speaks to U.S. supporters (including the American Outlaws) in Chicago. He might have been taking about this....
The idea is simple: invite your friends to a soccer game, buy them a beer. There... you've done it! You're now a participant in the Free Beer Movement.

For those of you who are soccer fanatics and love to bet on soccer games, the only real chance you will get during the festive season to watch any soccer will come early in the morning (especially if you are on the West coast!) watching the English Premier League. Although the league does not feature the two unrivaled stars of soccer – Ronaldo and Messi – is it still worth watching?

By Elizabeth Cotignola

Globalization. Fandom. The Advent Of The Internet.

In his apartment in New York City, Marco, a devotee of the Church of AS Roma, sits hunched over his laptop, mesmerized by the match streaming from his screen - his beloved Giallorossi are playing.

More Soccer coming to South Florida! Here is the press release:
World-class international soccer returns to South Florida as national teams of Colombia and Mexico meet at Sun Life Stadium on Feb. 29
Match to be played on official FIFA match date; both teams expected to bring their top squads as they continue their paths to World Cup 2014
MIAMI (Tuesday, December 6, 2011) – Top flight international soccer returns to South Florida when the Mexican national team takes on Colombia on February 29, 2012 (8 p.

Their Words It's disappointing. Done deal, see you later. It's puzzling. It hurts. You put so much into your organization. ‘D.C. United' were the first words my [2 1/2-year-old] son learned. Santino Quaranta, speaking to The Washington Post's Steven Goff. Other Sources Soccer fan Obama makes call to MLS champs - from USA Today's Aamer Madhani: but this was the first time a sitting president has called to congratulate a cup-winning coach, according to the.

Well, with a little time separating us from the season I thought I would take a little time to recount some of my favorite moments from the season, you know the ones that really stuck with me as a relatively new soccer fan. These are sequenced in order of my preference, and are subject to my personal memory at the time.

This past Sunday South Florida Soccer fans met up at Mickey Byrnes Irish Pub in Hollywood to watch the MLS Cup Final between the L.A. Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo. For more on the game go HERE
Just prior to the watch party the Ultras organized their 1st ever PS3 FIFA '12 tournament led by Mitch Rivera (Twitter: @mrivera2010 ) A total of 8 players showed up on time to be included in the roster (A few others were left out for not showing up on time).

Losing, as every soccer fan knows, hurts. But losing streaks are far worse. Watching our teams stumble through a run of bad games becomes almost unbearable. The pain is searing. We feel personally affronted, gaping at the last minute set-piece...
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Hello everybody. It is Thanksgiving Day, one of those rare days during the year when soccer goes on the backburner and there are no major games to watch.

American soccer fans have plenty to be thankful for, from a growing and strengthening Major League Soccer to a continuously growing number of soccer television viewing options.

We continue our new series on the Free Beer Movement. It's called "Brews and Views" and we pose a question or topic to various prominent soccer persons and, well, they give us their view on it.
We've got loads of get people that have already responded to our call for essay submissions and each week we'll feature a unique perspective on the current topic/question at hand.

The playoffs and MLS Cup final are being completely revamped in 2012.

Instead of rotating the MLS Cup between different cities, starting in 2012, the MLS Cup final will be played at the home venue of the participating team with a higher regular-season point total. No more neutral fields, which is something that the MLS has done since 1996.

You know you love football. You love watching the players racing across the field with the smell of cut grass setting fire to your team spirit. You sit at the edge of your seat when the players get the ball down the field, avoiding the opposing team as one good whack against the ball with a head or foot sends the ball past the goalie.

My seven-year-old son recently joined a soccer league, a moment of pride for his soccer-playing father and soccer-fan mother and grandmother. Aside from the obvious cuteness factor of watching he and his cohorts chasing one another around in soccer socks and scoring the unlikely goal, I have really enjoyed watching my son learn the meaning of teamwork, and seeing him flourishing in this environment.

Well Vasco is back. I have been away for awhile, health issues. Well the MLS season is over and the best team money can buy in MLS won the whole darn thing. The Cup and the shield, congrats to Bruce and the gang on their victory.
Lets recap some of the 2011 season. We saw two new MLS teams, that came up from USL, Portland which started slow and came on strong, and almost made the playoffs, and Vancouver that came on weak, and got worse.

Philly fans are the best in the world. The Philadelphia Union knows, the Philadelphia Independence knows it, the whole country knows it. Here's a look back at Philly fans supporting the Union, the Independence and the USMNT in 2011, courtesy of Philly Soccer page photographers Daniel Gajdamowicz, Earl Gardner, Michael Long, Paul Rudderow and Nicolae Stoian, as well as contributing photographers Garrett Field and Nate Monahan.

Philly fans are the best in the world. The Philadelphia Union knows, the Philadelphia Independence knows it, the whole country knows it. Here's a look back at Philly fans supporting the Union, the Independence and the USMNT in 2011, courtesy of Philly Soccer page photographers Daniel Gajdamowicz, Earl Gardner, Michael Long, Paul Rudderow and Nicolae Stoian, as well as contributing photographers Garrett Field and Nate Monahan.

Baseball fans like myself like to fantasize about traveling across the country, stopping in cities along the way to marvel at the grand old cathedrals of Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, as well as the new gems that have been built in Seattle, Baltimore, Minneapolis and New York. To me it's the ultimate expression of love for America's pastime.

The Commonwealth Soccer League Fall 2011 season will come to an end this Sunday, November 13th, at Patriot Park in Spotsylvania, Va., during the Commonwealth SoccerFest. CSL, the Fredericksburg area's only sanctioned adult soccer league, and the youth soccer club FSCI Phoenix will be working together for a day of soccer and fundraising to close out the Fall 2011 season.

By Shane Badger
While indoor soccer has a storied history in America, who but the hardened fan knows that story? It will take an education to break the iconic image of an "indoor Field". Green turf, rubber pellets, modified goals and lines marked to reflects the smaller field.

By Shane Badger
While indoor soccer has a storied history in America, whobut the hardened fan knows that story? It will take an education to break theiconic image of an "indoor Field". Green turf, rubber pellets, modified goalsand lines marked to reflects the smaller field.

I was on an online chat last weekend with 1,200 people watching a second division U.S. soccer game streamed online. All of a sudden a soccer fan blurted out on the chat that ‘soccer wasn't big in America.' Soccer not ...
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If you want an idea of what a somewhat typical Saturday looks like for a soccer fan who lives in the United States and who follows European soccer, take a peek at the above image and click on it for ...
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Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

Luis Gil is well aware of the hype. As a 17-year-old whose uncanny skill and composure on the ball has drawn the attention of such European titans as Arsenal and Real Madrid, it would be hard not to be.

Now that the Whitecaps have finished their season and were unable to reach the playoffs, it's time to follow the journey to the final of the MLS Cup. El Jimador has announced their "Your rules your shot" competition, in which 10 lucky winners will get a chance to win a VIP trip to the MLS Cup!
The competition consists in creating a creative rule which all MLS fans should follow.

Now that the Dynamo have finished off the season we finally know what the playoffs are going to look like. Next weekend the wildcard teams will play.

NY Red Bulls (4) @ FC Dallas (1)

Columbus Crew (3) @ Colorado Rapids (2)

The the rest of the team join in on the fun. The winners of those 2 games will be placed based on which is the higher seed of the winners.

English Premier League has given us eight weeks of soccer action so far, and now it's time to predict what will this new batch of fixtures bring to the football table.
Last gameweek in Fantasy Premier League saw new names arise on top of the weekly point table as the usual suspects didn't deliver.

The Galaxy have had the top spot wrapped up for a while. The Sounders and Real Salt Lake have also had their playoffs spot for a few weeks. Now there is one position remaining that 4 teams have a shot at with New York in the best position to take it.

The East side is kinda crazy right now.

The second leg NASL Semifinal game in Cary, N.C. on Saturday evening between the Minnesota Stars and regular season champion Carolina RailHawks had everything a soccer fan could ask for. In fact it was probably more enjoyable for the neutral fan than if you were supporting either Minnesota or Carolina.

So Kasey Keller is retiring after this season

He is one of the greatest keepers we've ever seen, there is no doubt about that. But instead of showing of his complete awesome-ness in goal, I wanted to find a video of a goal he gave up to Mexico sometime in the 90′s. I remember seeing the goal on TV when it happened, but I don't remember exactly what year or competition it was in.